The Price of Freedom
by The Plot Bunny Whisperer
Summary: AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.
1. 00: Escaping Chains

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** R  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary:** AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s):** Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** **AU** for **Harry Potter** after the Triwizard Tournament and **Yu Yu Hakusho** season four. **If you bitch about the shortness I will bite you.** Fair warning. This story isn't complete, like I wanted it to be before I started posting, but I couldn't wait. It will be updated **once every other week**, on the **first** and **third** weeks of the month. No amount of whinging will get me to update faster. **If you demand faster updates, I will bite you.** As of this point, there are 22 chapters, not including this prologue. Once the story is complete, though, I'll start updating faster, say once a week.

It should also probably be posted in the YYH category, considering it's set mainly in that world, but it's Harry-centric... and I'm lazy. Go figure.  
(And yes, I really will bite you.)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**00:** Escaping Chains

-

"You're certain it works?"

The man nodded. He rubbed a cloth methodically accross the object in his lap, his head bowed as he worked. The shop was nearly silent save for the swish of the cloth and the soft chink of metal. Smoke filled the air from the ciggarette clenched between his teeth, whisps of it escaping into the pale light of the street lamps outside. The city was sleeping outside the shop doors, as it should be at midnight.

Soft footsteps walked toward the counter.

"I test all my creations." One dark brown eye looked up from beneath the dirty fringe of the man's hair as he spoke, his voice deep and husky from years of tabacco addiction. "You can test it first, if you wish."

"Hm." The other lifted his arm, his knee-length black coat swaying with the movement, revealing dark pants and calf-high black boots to the light. A tan hand was held steady in the air, looking almost too delicate to be holding the thick, heavy pistol in its grasp. Black metal glinted, catching and caressing the light that shined off of the intricate golden carvings along it's entirety. Runes, some so small that they appeared to be no more than a speck of gold imbedded in the dark metal, seemed to shine with an otherworldly light.

"That won't be neccessary." The voice was soft like silk, deceptively gentle.

"My greatest creation," spoke the elder man, his hand stilling. His eyes stared at the pistol, glimmering with pride and awe, like a father gazing at his child. "My life's work. You hold in your hand the most powerful weapon this world will ever see. I will never again make something near to her perfection." He bowed his head again, returning to rag. "I'll leave her name up to you."

"Amaterasu."

A deep chuckle, heavy in the still air. "The one who shines over heaven. A fitting name."

There was a loud thunk as something heavy was dropped onto the surface of the counter. A black velvet bag tipped over, spilling gold coins accross the glossy surface. The elder man looked first at the coinage and then up at the younger man standing in the now open door. Dark hair lifted in the gentle night breeze, briefly revealing one cold, emerald green eye.

"For your silence."

The bell on the door jingled as it shut behind him.

-

The zippo clinked softly as it flicked open, the flame whooshing into life. Smoke and the heady scent of tobacco filled the air as he inhaled slowly, strolling casually along the empty, dark street lit only by the occasional flickering lamp and the light of a nearly full moon.

"You shouldn't smoke."

He stopped walking, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

"It can't kill me."

"That's not the point."

Sharp heels tapped against the pavement. He looked up as she stepped into the light, gazing at him with solemn blue eyes.

"Blonde's a good look for you, Nymphadora."

"Don't call me that." She eyed him, her gaze lingering briefly on the dark choker and pendant that sat in the hollow of his neck, a small silver lightning bolt resting gently against his skin. The tight black shirt was split at his navel, flaring open at his belt revealing a toned midrift, nearly blending into equally black pants. Strapped around thigh was a holster carrying his new pistol, the ebony handle peeking out over the leather. "You're really leaving."

It wasn't a question, merely a statement of fact. Her shoulders tensed, her fisted hands shoved roughly into the pockets of her robes.

"I have to."

"I know." She looked away from him, glaring into the window of a closed clothing shop displaying indecently dressed manequins. "You're not going to say goodbye?"

"I've said all I needed to." A cloud of smoke drifted lazily into the air. "Are you here on _his_ orders?"

"Of course I'm not." She glared at him for even suggesting it. Her gaze relaxed, a weary, resigned expression overtaking her features. "Remus will miss you."

"Remus can take care of himself."

"Harry..." Her voice trailed off, heavy in its sorrow. "There isn't any other way?"

A dark look crossed his eyes, his teeth half bared in a snarl. Light glinted off of a single sharp tooth and she flinched, quickly looking away.

"I can run or I can die," he said coldly, his eyes hardening at the flicker of fear that passed through hers. "Naturally, I choose to live."

"What kind of life is that?" she snapped. "Running. It all catches up to you in the end, anyway."

"Perhaps." A red glow fell to the ground and he snuffed it out. "But when it does, I will be stronger and ready for it."

"You know he'll chase you. To the ends of the earth if he has to."

"Of course he will. It's his _job_, after all, to rid the world of _evil_." He sneered mockingly. "And in his eyes, what I have become is exactly that."

"You're not evil," she blurted quickly. "You're just..."

"A demon." He smirked, a glimmer of red flashing over the emerald of his eyes. "You can say it. I don't mind." She flinched again.

"Blood doesn't make who you are." Her words were hollow and fake, even to herself. "It doesn't matter, Harry. None of it matters. You're still the boy we all know. If you just... if you just give us some time, we can show him that. I know we can."

"Don't lie, Nymphadora. It's not becoming of you." He walked past her, putting his hands in his pockets. "Go home. Remus will worry."

"I have orders." He paused, looking over his shoulder. Blond hair spilled over her eyes and her form trembled. "Next time I see you... I will have to kill you." He looked at her for a moment before turning away and walking on.

"I didn't expect anything less." He disappeared into the darkness, soft words left in his wake. "Goodbye Tonks."

She fell to her knees in the circle of light and cried.

-

Remember that I warned you. ::glares::  
Fear the bite! :3


	2. 01: Shuichi

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** R  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: I'm celebrating!** You're getting this early because I just completed this story. For me, it's a record: an entire story in just two weeks! You can _definitely_ expect faster updates than bi-monthly!

I'm glad you guys are enjoying this. Just to warn you, all of the chapters are going to be short, and I do mean all them. I didn't have a set plan for this story; I just wrote it as I went and stopped where it felt right to stop. The longest chapter is only about 1,600 words, and it's far off, so that should give you the general layout of each chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it anyway, despite the short length.

I feel I should make another note about Harry's 'temperment', as it were. The feel I was trying to make was that at the time that Harry fled Britain he was very angry, disappointed, and betrayed and that's why he acted as he did. Over the years he's been on the run, he's managed to come to terms with his situation and has "mellowed out". However, he is still a demon, with a demon attitude, but anyone who has seen the series can say that not all demons carry such a dark attitude with them. Yusuke, Jin, and Chuu are good examples of this, and this is what I was trying to accomplish when writing his character. I hope I didn't fail.

One more thing: the romance does not play a large role in the story. It's there, but it's not a focus. It is also a gradual thing, so you won't see much of it until much further into the story, practically near the end. I hope that doesn't disappoint anyone.

Enjoy! (Sorry about the long author's note, if you even read it.)

-

The Price of Freedom  
**01: **Shuichi

-

__

Three Years Later

The patter of feet on asphalt echoed loudly off the cement walls of the surrounding suburban street. A dark form fled quickly down the street, a black trench coat flying out behind him as he ran. He ignored the shouts and threats of his pursuers, dodging quickly to the side as a red beam of light streaked past him.

'_They're getting smarter_,' he thought grimly. '_That's not good._'

He'd only been in this city for two weeks, the longest he'd stayed anywhere. There was just something about it that drew him in, a strange energy that felt familiar but that he couldn't place. He knew he should have left already, moved onto somewhere else, but he couldn't. There was something telling him to stay, and wait. He didn't like it, but he also couldn't ignore his instincts.

It had actually started out as a pretty nice day. It just figured his past would catch up to him and ruin it.

Just up ahead he could see a new alley. If he could reach it before they got lucky and actually hit him he could escape using one of his hidden techniques. He didn't want them knowing the full scope of what he could do - it would only make them come at him harder, with more people.

Ten yards away from the entrance, he suddenly noticed a slim form walking out of it and he cursed mentally. He didn't have time to deal with civilians, and he wouldn't put it past his pursuers to use the girl as hostage to catch him. It wouldn't be the first time they had played dirty, knowing his penchant for being unable to let innocent people get hurt because of him.

Oh, the irony.

"Get down!" he yelled as he got closer. Not caring about being gentle (what were a few bruises when it could mean life or death?) he shoved what he now realized was a rather feminine young man back into the alley, turning around and drawing his gun in one smooth movement. His momentum caused him to skid backwards a few paces and he lifted Amaterasu to aim at the smallish group of men. They stopped when he did, all six blue-robed men aiming their wands at him.

"We're getting sick of chasing you, Potter! Come with us now and you may actually get to choose your epitaph."

"Fuck you Kingsley, and fuck the old man!" He fired three times in succession.

Amaterasu was more than a gun. The old craftsman he'd commissioned her from had once been a wandcrafter before World War II drove him back into his birth-world. There he'd become an ammunitions expert and it was there that he'd dreamt up Amaterasu. A magically crafted weapon that could be enscripted with specialized and extremely powerful runes to give it the ability to effectively shoot spells. It removed the need for spoken incantations; with a simple thought, you could tell it what to do. It could shoot magic purely, in the form of beams of light, or magical bullets that released the spells upon contact or specific timing. It was also crafted to be able to shoot ordinary bullets, and to remove the necessity of ever needing to buy more. It was made of the strongest alloys and with enough runic scripture to make it near indestructible and impossible to steal.

In esscence, it was the most powerful wand in the world.

The first shot released a massive fireball that erupted at the halfway mark, causing the men to duck and scatter, shooting hasty water and flame retardancy spells. The second created a ward that wouldn't allow anyone to pass, however it was easily breakable and only lasted ten minutes. The third created a smokescreen to further slow them down.

Without wasting any time he holstered Amaterasu and darted into the alley, grabbing the wrist of the startled red-head. The entire exchange had lasted less than ten seconds.

"Come on," he said, dragging the other along with him. "That won't hold them off for long and you don't want to stick around for when they get through." He released the boy once he realized the other was keeping pace with him.

"Who are you?" Harry glanced to the side to look at him; impossibly red hair down past his shoulders, a slim feminine figure, and bright leaf green eyes looking at him in curiosity.

"No one important," he answered finally.

They turned around their sixth or seventh bend, exiting out into a small park. They slowed to a walk, Harry glancing behind himself periodically to make sure they hadn't been successfully followed, reaching his senses out to check for their energy. He felt nothing, which most likely meant that they had gotten fed up and apparated back to wherever they went to when he evaded capture yet again. Either that, or enough had been injured by the fire blast that they couldn't risk sending anyone after him. It took them a while, but they had learned not to send less that half a dozen people after him.

"My name is Shuichi Minamino," said the red-head. "I appologize if this sounds too forward, but under the circumstances would you perhaps mind telling me what that was all about?"

Harry frowned, placing his hands inside his pockets. He had to tell the guy something, he owed him that much after all, but what? He settled on something vague but truthful.

"Those guys want to kill me. They've been chasing me for three years and aren't likely to stop any time soon. I suggest that if you ever see a group of people dressed like they just escaped from the middle ages, you get out of the area as fast as possible. They have no qualms about using other people to get to me, which is ironic considering they see me as the bad guy and themselves as the icons of all things good and stupid." He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and tapped one out. "They're gone now, so you should be safe. Sorry for the trouble." He exhaled slowly. "If you'll excuse me, I gotta skip town before they come back. Nice meeting you."

He got no more than four steps away before Shuichi called out for him to wait.

"If you wish, I know of a place where you would be safe for the night. It is well guarded, and unlikely anyone will find you there. It is starting to get late, and I do owe you for taking me out of danger and for the warning. This way you will be well rested for the night and able to travel in the morning." Harry looked at the setting sun.

"Thanks, but considering it's my fault you were in danger in the first place, I have to decline." Shuichi smiled.

"Please. I insist. It will merely take a phone call."

Harry thought for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. A safe place to spend the night was tempting after running all day, but this person was a complete stranger. There was also that he had too many secrets, secrets that could get him killed if anyone knew. Then again, it was only for the night....

He sighed.

"All right." He smirked lightly. "Since you insisted." Shuichi laughed, a light, airy sound that was calming to hear. Harry felt the tension in his shoulders relax.

"Follow me. I'll make the call at my home and set everything up."

"Thanks." He snuffed out his cigarette, throwing the butt into a nearby trashcan. "My name is Harry Potter, by the way."

"It is nice to meet you, Harry Potter."

"Likewise, Shuichi Minamino."


	3. 02: The First Secret

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** I lowered the rating. After some thought, it seemed unecessary. I was bored, so you're getting this early.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**02: **The First Secret

-

Harry stared up the extremely long staircase with an expression of disbelief. How anyone could possibly need that many steps was a daunting thought to ponder. Then again, he shouldn't be surprised considering it led to a temple. He could feel the strange energy that had originally called him to the city very strongly here and basic curiosity prodded him to climb the stairway even if only to see if it could actually take him somewhere to find what he was looking for, even if he didn't even know what it was.

"Who is this person granting me sanctuary for the night, anyway?" he asked his companion. Shuichi turned to look at him, a few steps higher than he was, to answer.

"Her name is Genkai. She is a well-respected psychic and owns much of the land you see, from the beach to the south to a large wall in the north."

"A psychic?" His tone held only curiosity. He'd heard about the psychics of Japan, the real ones at any rate. They were similar to the magic users of Europe, however their powers were very different. While a wizard could do just about anything with a wand, psychics relied on the spiritual energy that filled their bodies. Many powerful psychics were demon hunters, which was concerning if this Genkai was anything like them. It made him wary and consider changing his mind, as he doubted that any psychic would willingly want to house a half-demon in their home.

His demonic blood had come as a surprise to him, as well as everyone who knew him. No one had known that his mother had carried an _Atavism _trait in her bloodline. Though she had been powerful, it had remained dormant within her and passed to Harry when he was born. The first time Voldemort had hit him with the death curse, the ability was awakened. The second, and last, time he had done so, at the end of his fourth year turning the Triwizard Tournament, it began his transformation. It was this that had allowed him to completely obliterate the newly reborn dark lord from the face of existence. It was also the reason the British Ministry was so hell-bent on destroying him, despite the fact that he wanted nothing to do with them. They saw him as a threat to their way of life, and threats to their power were to be eliminated.

He had been able to hide the fact that he was no longer entirely human for several months. After his fifteenth birthday, however, his glamours began to grow weaker until one day Dumbledore had taken one look at him and fired off a hex. If it hadn't been for the rush of knowledge that had come from the awakening of the _Atavism_, he would never have been able to dodge the spell. He did the only thing he could at the time, and ran.

He spent six months running and hiding from the people who now wanted to do nothing more than kill him as quickly as possible, honing what little he could of his power without being caught. It was easier once he had met Kent Alberton, the Craftsman, who created first his choker, spelled heavily with both glamouries and aura dampening wards that allowed him to use his power without detection, and then afterwards his precious Amaterasu. After that, he left Britain all together.

He had heard rumors during his travels of another who had awoken an _Atavism _within them, the descendant of the Mazoku. Harry knew that he, himself, was not a Mazoku - he didn't know what he was, really, but he was absolutely sure about that. Soon, after digging and research and exchanging gold for information, a desire had grown within him to meet another, the only other one in several hundred years to have been able to wake the ancient blood in their veins.

He paused.

Was it really that simple? Was that really what he was searching for, the Mazoku, the only other being like him in the world? The _Atavism_ who had somehow won his freedom and lived on to tell about it?

Maybe it really was that easy. He couldn't believe it had taken him nearly three years to figure that out.

"Harry?" Harry jumped, his fingers twitching almost unconsciously towards Amaterasu. He looked up at the concerned Shuichi and only then realized that he had stopped climbing completely while he thought. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh. No. Just thinking." Shuichi smiled in responce to his sheepish look.

"We're almost at the top."

Harry looked at the last short staircase and noticed the sacred charms tied around the trees at either side. He recognized the seals as demon repulsors, meant to keep out those who wished to cause harm to the owner or her guests. Seeing as he didn't wish to hurt anyone, he passed through them without hesitation, a tingle going down his spine as he did so. He hid a frown and hoped that the identification ward he hadn't sensed before didn't interfere with the enchantments on his choker.

They cleared the last of the steps, leading to a pair of large doors that opened into the temple proper. The doors were already open and they walked through. Harry looked around him in curiosity, taking in the calming atmosphere and general tranquility in the air. He could sense a dark power from the forest a ways off, something that reminded him of the Forbidden Forest on Hogwarts grounds.

He turned his head when he heard a screen door opening in front of him and blinked at the small woman in the doorway. She was very, very small, coming no higher than his waist, with graying pink hair. Her face was lined in the wrinkles that spoke of her age, and there was a look of sternness and wisdom in her eyes and way she held herself. She stepped forward, walking with her hands clasped behind her back, and looked from him to Shuichi.

"This him?" she said. Harry bowed at the waist respectfully and he saw a spark of grudging respect in her eyes.

"Yes, this is him. Harry, this is Master Genkai, the owner of the temple."

"My name is Harry Potter, ma'am." She grunted in response, lighting up a cigarette. She surveyed him for a moment or three, smoking slowly as she eyed him up and down, taking in his appearance.

It had changed very little in his few years on the run. His hair was a little longer, brushing against his shoulders now and still as untamable as ever. His old plain coat had had to be replaced at some point due to spell damage. His new one was ankle-lengthed, split up to his knees in the back for easier movement. His boots and black pants had remained the same, but his once black shirt was now a blood red one that, like the other, split at his navel. His Amaterasu was still strapped to his right thigh, and he had acquired a pair of fingerless black gloves to prevent his grip from slipping. After the several times he'd dropped her while getting used to the recoil and getting his hands slick in the rain, he'd learned to invest.

"Well, well," she said finally. "I never thought I'd see the day a wizard would come to my temple."

Harry froze, carefully not looking at Shuichi, whose head had turned sharply in his direction.

"Ex-wizard, actually," he murmured. "I try not to lump myself in the same category as the uptight, stick-in-the-ass bastards that have spent the better part of the last three years trying to put me into an early grave." She laughed loudly, a deep, husky sound almost like a bark.

"I've always thought the wand-wielders were too full of themselves. Well, come on in, kid. I'm sure you have an interesting story to tell."

-

PS: Did you guys notice there are brand new green buttons? ::looks at button dubiously:: I dunno if I like these changes...  
::watches button suspiciously from a corner::


	4. 03: Bloodline Trait

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** This is the shortest chapter in the entire story. Don't worry, the next one is longer. You'll get it tomorrow. I _would_give it to you later today, but I'll be out of town visiting some cousins who are flyign in from Italy to show off their eight-month-old. You guys can wait until tomorrow, right?

(Am I alone in thinking that the buttons are trying to take over the world?)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**03:** Bloodline Trait

-

The soft chink of porcelain against the wood table roused Harry from his thoughts and he looked up to offer the blue-haired girl, introduced to him as Yukina, a ward of Genkai, a small smile in thanks. She smiled brightly in response, her soft wide red eyes lighting up. He chanced a glance at Shuichi, who seemed to be deep in thought and tried to get himself to relax. It wasn't working.

The silence was oppressive, and he almost kissed Yukina for breaking it.

"How long have you been in the city, Mr. Potter?"

"Please, Harry's just fine." He flashed her a weak smile. "About two weeks now, I suppose." She gave him such a wide-eyed, curious look that he couldn't help but be awed by her innocence.

"Where were you before that?"

"Hm. Tokyo, I think. Before that I was in Kyoto by way of the Koreas." She smiled brightly.

"Wow! You must be so well traveled." He looked away to a far wall.

"Comes with the territory. This is... actually, the longest I've spent in one place in a long time," he admitted softly, surprised with himself. It must be those eyes, so filled with a childish curiosity that he couldn't help but sate.

"Where did you start from?" Harry looked at Shuichi, startled. He looked square into his eyes for a long moment, but found nothing but an understanding empathy, which he found curious.

"North London, on the British Isles," he answered finally. He took a sip of his cooled tea, dark and bitter just how he liked it.

"So how does one become an ex-wizard, exactly?" asked Genkai, setting down her empty cup. Harry stared deep into his own, his eyes darkened in memory. He resisted the urge to tap his fingers against the wood grain, a nervous habit of his that tended to annoy people.

"I came into a bloodline trait that no one knew my mother had. They weren't too impressed."

"What is a bloodline trait?" Yukina asked curiously. Harry sipped his tea again to wet his throat.

"It's a power," he said, "more often than not a single, special ability carried within the blood of our ancestors. Depending on the gift, or the situation, or even the person themselves, the gift can either be awakened or kept dormant, passed to the next in line. Not all families have a bloodline trait, such as my father's family. No one had even suspected that my mother would have a bloodline trait, because as far as anyone knew, she was the first of her line to have enough power to be considered a witch. Because it had never awakened within her no one ever knew, and it passed to me."

"So because of this trait you are considered an ex-wizard," Genkai surmised. Harry shook his head.

"No. That was my own choice. The moment they tried to bind and kill me for something they did not understand, I decided I no longer wanted anything to do with their world. I was attached, however, so I hid is as best I could, but I was not strong enough then to keep it hidden for long."

"This trait. Is it dangerous?" Harry met Genkai's eyes squarely, so she could see the truth for herself.

"It can be, should I choose it to be. However, I do not wish harm upon those with whom I share no grievances."

The old psychic stared at him for a moment, then nodded.

"Yukina, please show our guest to his room for the night." Harry felt a rush of gratitude for this deceptively fragile old woman who didn't pry and let him stay despite that he did not offer up in the information himself.

He stood and bowed at the waist, thanking her for her hospitality before wishing her and Shuichi a good night. He followed Yukina down a long hallway to a sparse room that held nothing more than a single sleeping mat, a pillow, and a few blankets. He said his good nights to Yukina and removed only his jacket and holster, the latter of which was tucked beneath his pillow within easy reach.

He crossed one sockclad foot over the other and fell into a true, unguarded sleep for the first time in what felt like forever.


	5. 04: Sanctuary

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** Chapter four as promised. :)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**04:** Sanctuary

-

His internal clock woke him, shifting him from sleep to wakefulness in a mere second. His eyes darted around the room, the memory of where he was rising to the surface. Quietly, he rose and folded his bedding, placing them in neat piles upon the sleeping mat. He redid the buckles that kept Amaterasu strapped tightly to his thigh before donning his coat and leaving the room.

He wasn't surprised to find Genkai already awake and dressed for the day despite the early hour, sipping at a steaming mug of tea. Yukina darted out from the kitchen a set a second cup before him with a bright smile and a cheery good morning before returning to the other room before he could say a word otherwise.

"That girl is a godsend," Genkai rumbled. "Don't know what I ever did without her. Just don't tell her that." Harry chuckled.

"Of course." He sipped at his tea and they sat in silence for several long minutes, broken only by Yukina's soft humming from the kitchen.

"You'll be setting out this morning then?" He nodded, placing his cup back on the table's surface.

"I have to. I've spent more time here than is smart. I should have left more than a week ago, and it cost. That was the closest they've gotten to me in months."

"Why would they go to such lengths to spend time and resources on a hunt that's already lasted several years?" Harry frowned softly.

"To be honest, the British Ministry dropped the hunt for me over a year ago as soon as I entered Asia. So long as I am not within Europe, they aren't concerned about my whereabouts, not counting the fanatics. It is my former allies who still hunt me, led by a man who had had control over my life since infancy. I don't know what it is that drives him to capture me, to send his men so far away from their home and families. It could be fear; he could feel honor-bound to do so; it could be that he is chafed and scrambling to regain the control he lost. Either way, I cannot stop running until he gives up, which he will never do." He shrugged nonchalantly, a gesture that looked as fake as it felt. "I cannot stop running until I am free, and since I will never be free I can never stop running."

It was then Yukina returned, this time carrying a carefully balanced tray loaded with food for breakfast. They ate in relative silence, only Yukina's happy chatter and endless questions about his travels filling the air. He humored her with a few of his more lighthearted stories, the tension of the night before seemingly to be put at rest. It was only once she had returned the dirty dishes to the kitchen that Harry stood.

"Is there someway I can repay you for your hospitality?"

"Possibly," the psychic answered vaguely. "I do nothing for free, so you're just going to have to stay until I can think of something."

He stared at her incredulously.

"I..."

"Don't give me that look," she snapped, placing her tea on the table. "You said yourself that you've been running for a long time. You look exhausted Harry; you remind me of someone else I know, who looked just as tired with life when I first laid eyes on him as you do now." The glare smoothed from her face as he sat down slowly, still staring at her with wide eyes. Her voice was gentler when she continued speaking. "My temple is heavily warded. I have never trusted wand-wielders, who abuse their energy as their due, and have placed measures against their type of travel. They must approach my temple the same way anyone else has to, and once they cross the protection wards, their wands cease to function and they are powerless unless they have been trained to use wandless power, which few have. Aside from living on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean, this is probably the safest place for you in the world."

Harry was speechless. Never before had he had the chance to even consider the possibility of settling down somewhere for longer than a few weeks, and here was that chance, offered to him upon a golden platter. The thought of doing so was all at once a heady and terrifying prospect.

"Of course, you don't have to stay. It is entirely up to you." Genkai sipped at her tea, holding it delicately before her. "Give yourself an hour or two to think on it, if you have to."

"Why?" he said finally, eyes filled with confusion. "Why would you help me, someone who is a complete stranger to you?"

"Like I said - you remind me of someone I know. I knew better than to offer him the same thing; his pride wouldn't allow him to see it how it is meant to be seen. Unlike you, however, he also had other options available to him. You don't." She looked at him with sharp, stern eyes. "This isn't going to be free. I will likely work you to tears and make you regret having ever met me. If there was anywhere in the city you had wanted to visit before you left, you should do it as soon as possible because it's unlikely you'll get a chance to do so for a long time."

He realized with a start that he had been planning to accept her offer, and that she had known this before he did.

"All I ask from you in return is honesty. I don't care if you don't tell me your whole life's sob story, and I honestly don't want to hear it. Just as long as you don't lie to me, I think we'll get along just fine. Yukina seems to like you as well, which really doesn't mean much since she likes everyone, but it goes in your favor.

"Now," she placed her tea onto the table and stood, "when you're ready to tell me how you came to possess demon blood, that I _will _be interested to hear about. Now come on. I need to introduce you to Puu, so you don't accidentally shoot him with that fancy gun of yours."

And with that simple blasé acknowledgement of his not-quite-human state, thrown over her shoulder as though in afterthought with not even a hint of loathing or scorn in her tone, she had forever earned his unwavering, unending loyalty.


	6. 05: Atavism

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** And here's number five! I'm glad you are enjoying this. ^^

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**05:** Atavism

-

"What the hell is that?" Harry stared at the large, blue bird who trilled a happy welcome at him. It butted its head against his chest in a clear demand for pets, and he obliged it after a moment of hesitation. He grinned when the creature purred, nuzzling against his shirt in bliss as he scratched behind one of its long ears.

"This is Puu. He is a Spirit Beast, a physical manifestation of the true nature of my student's soul." Genkai stroked the beast's neck gently, a soft look in her eyes. Puu trilled happily again, clearly enjoying the attention. "My dimwitted student, who you will more than likely meet during your stay here, hatched him from a golden egg given to him by Koenma, the junior death god of Spirit World, in a trial to test his soul to determine whether he was worthy to return to life after his untimely death several years ago while needlessly saving a child from a speeding car. Originally, the slacker had sacrificed the egg in order to save a childhood friend from a burning building. Koenma allowed him to return to life in reward for his sacrifice and secretly kept the egg. A little over half a year later, Puu hatched. He was a tiny little thing then."

"I've never heard of such a thing before," Harry murmured. Once he got over the sheer size and brightness of beast, he found himself amused at the puppy-eyed demands for attention and happily indulged him. "What is Spirit World?" Genkai stepped away from the bird and led him from the room despite Puu's whinging trills. Harry gave the bird one last pat and followed her, grinning as he heard the beast huddle down in a sulk when they left him to continue the tour of her property.

"Spirit World is one of three worlds that coexist alongside each other in separate dimensions," she explained as she walked. "There is this world, the Human World. Then there is Spirit World, something you can also consider the realm of the dead. The last is Demon World, where demons of all types and powers reside. It was not too long ago that Demon World was kept separate from the others because of the demons' destructive nature. A few years ago, there was a great change in how Demon World was run and the barrier has since been dissolved. A type of peace, never before seen in Demon World, is overtaking it slowly, helping to curb the demons' vicious and bloodthirsty natures, caused in part because of the barrier. With so many restrictions placed upon them, the demons lashed out on those weaker, the humans. However, when a new king was crowned, he demanded that all demons stop their mischief in the Human World.

"There are of course the occasional flare-ups, but those are dealt with swiftly on both sides. It is an unusual peace, but not one to be taken lightly. Things could change at any moment, after all, or with the crowning of a new king, so it should be enjoyed while it lasts."

"That's amazing." Harry could think of no other word for it. "I knew of Demon World, mostly things that I picked up during my travels, but I never knew there was another world as well. It was... a special interest of mine, and I tried to learn as much as I could about it, which admittedly isn't much."

They walked in silence for a moment, wandering across the grounds of the temple.

"Eight hundred years ago," Harry said softly, "My mother's ancestor unknowingly conceived a child with a demon. The demon abandoned the child here in Living World, perhaps to keep it safe because of its human blood. In all those years, the blood never surfaced so it remained unknown." They stopped walking and she watched him silently, uncondemning, and he was grateful to her for allowing him to speak without interruption.

"When my mother was born, she was powerful enough to display some characteristics, but not enough to awaken the demon blood. When I was born, she passed it to me. At that time, there was a war raging between the wizards over their ideals of blood purity, and my parents were considered targets for the leader of what was called the Dark Army. A half-crocked Seer gave a prophecy stating that a child would be born to defeat their leader, and I was one of two who fit that prophecy, so my parents went into hiding.

"When I was fifteen months old, they were betrayed by someone they called friend and then murdered by the leader of the Dark Army. He attempted to kill me but failed and instead fell victim to his own curse. Of course, he didn't fail completely. I _did_ die that night, but it was a fleeting death, reversed so swiftly my soul didn't even have the chance to leave my body. It was then that the trait woke within me, waiting for a complete transition." He was silent for a moment. "I was fourteen when my parent's murderer was returned to his body. We dueled that night, and I lost. He managed to kill me again, only this time my body was ready for the transition. I don't remember what I did, or how I did it, but suddenly he was dead; completely and utterly destroyed.

"I woke up a week later with memories and knowledge that wasn't my own, passed down from my demon grandmother through the blood trait. I already told you what happened next, and I've been running ever since." He turned to look at her, his hands clenched nervously in his pockets. "It wasn't until yesterday, as I was walking up the step to the temple with Shuichi that I realized that I wasn't just running to preserve my life, I was searching for something."

"And what is it you are searching for?" He lowered his eyes as he thought of a way to explain the rush of thought and emotion that had filtered through him in that moment.

"Vindication. Proof that all of this was leading somewhere, that it wasn't merely to add to my own personal hell of perpetual fight-or-flight confrontations. That something other than a prophecy was the deciding factor in why I was chosen to be her _Atavism_, and it's not just because fate decided I would make a nice toy to play with. And in order to find it... I need to find the Mazoku." She raised a pale eyebrow at him, but didn't speak. "The only other _Atavism_ to awake for more than a thousand years. I need to learn just what it was, what he did, to win his freedom, and in doing so find the way to win my own."

"You were drawn to this city," she said, her sharp eyes trained on his face.

"Yes," he agreed. "I think that's why I haven't left yet, because something within me knows that I will find what I'm searching for here. Even with the threat of the wizards finding me, I don't think I could have left." _'And you have no idea how indebted I am to you that I will not have to worry about that for now and hopefully find what I'm looking for,'_ he added silently.

She smirked, as though she had heard him anyway, and turned her back to return to the house.

"You have today to slack off, so make the most of it. Tomorrow you're going to really start to earn your keep."


	7. 06: Beginning

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** I didn't realize until after I'd written this chapter that there is absolutely no dialogue whatsoever. So... I guess it's called a filler? ::never wrote a filler chapter before:: Huh.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**06:** Beginning

-

Harry followed Genkai's advice and went to the city to purchase a few items he would need, such as a few changes of simple clothing. His old trunk was carried on him at his all times, minimized and sealed in a hidden pocket of his coat, but even it didn't carry anything that was suited for less than constant travel. With Yukina's help, he had his new room in order relatively quickly. It really wasn't that hard to do, seeing as the only new additions to the room were four candelabras situated at each corner of the room and a short wicker shelf, all of which were dragged in from one of Genkai's storage rooms.

Genkai herself made good on her promise to work him half to death. His very first task was giving Puu a bath, which was an experience in an of itself. The large blue Spirit Beast had spent the better part of an hour making him chase it around, getting the both of them absolutely filthy. Then, as Harry was nearly ready to strangle him, he sat down calmly and sent him a doleful look that clearly asked 'why haven't you washed me yet?' He was entirely certain the bird had lead him on a merry little goose chase purely for its own amusement.

Of course, that was the least of his problems.

His next task was to cull the colonies of imps that had taken up residence in the Dark Forest. They were becoming too numerous, and letting too many imps gather in one place, she explained, was to nearly beg for a coup. Imps were tiny, stupid little creatures, but when they got it into their heads to raise trouble, they did it with a capital 'Shit'. His task was made harder than it need be thanks to the pack of wolves that decided they didn't like him in their territory and to a large, swift man-bat who talked in third person. Compared to the living vines however, Baldok and the wolves were mere annoyances.

His favorite task by far was the feeding of the snakes in the snake pit. Only one out of every dozen or so had anything legitimate to say other than, "Feed me, I'm hungry," but the few that had even the smallest spark of intelligence had many interesting pieces of information to dish out. Genkai claimed that being able to talk with his chore was considered cheating, and Harry cheerfully pointed out that if he wasn't there she'd have to do it herself, after which she made him sleep on a bed of nails in retaliation. Well... sleep was really pushing it, considering the moment he drifted off the energy he was utilizing weakened and he slipped onto the nails.

Needless to say, Harry commanded the better part of valor and kept his mouth shut from then on.

On his fifth day at the temple, Harry met Kazuma Kuwabara. And by met he meant nearly shot to death when the orange-haired giant of a teenager raced toward the temple calling for his "beloved Yukina". After a swift round of introductions, Yukina managed to convince Harry to release Kuwabara from Amaterasu's bullet-created confinement wards. He couldn't believe how easily he could fall victim to her teary wide eyes, but he guessed that it was just something she was good at. He made the comment that all she had to do was turn that look onto any of the world's toughest leaders and she could rule the world within a week, causing her to blush heavily and Kuwabara to fly into jealous rage. That promted a short chase around the temple during which he smashed the boy's face into the ground in annoyance. Kuwabara laughed it off and said that anyone who could hit like Urameshi, whoever that was, was okay in his books and a fast friendship was formed.

The rest of Kuwabara's visit was an interesting one. Harry was vastly amused at Kuwabara's obvious attempts at flirting and Yukina's obliviousness to the whole thing, though he suspected that she wasn't as unknowing of Kuwabara's affections as she seemed to be and that she returned them whole-heartedly. He was happy for the reprieve at any rate and took advantage of the calm, duty-free afternoon with gusto.

Kuwabara ended up challenging him to a spar, which Harry was at first hesitant to accept. However, the boy seemed unphazed at a punch that would have caved the skull of any wizard had he hit them that hard, and he found that he was woefully improficient at hand-to-hand combat. This knowledge spurred Genkai to decide to train him in between his chore duties, and after a week or two of that he decided that he was going to strangle the teen for bringing that fact into light.

He'd take the chores over training any day.

However difficult the training turned out to be and no matter how tired he was at the end of each day, he could feel a vast improvement in not only his speed and endurance but his control over his demon energy as well. He discovered a few new tricks he never knew or even considered he had the ability to pull off. He improved at a rate that surprised even Genkai, who told him one evening as he lay in a pile of fried nerve endings that she hadn't seen such swift advancement from a student since Puu's owner so few years ago. She said he was not quite the prodigy of her dimwitted student, but he was near enough to it to convince her ever more that she had made the right choice in accepting him into her temple.

She didn't say it in quite so many words of course, but Harry could hear the underlying implications of it and it made him grow to love this old woman even more as part of his extremely small family. Not enough that he didn't still complain every night about not being about to feel his fingers, but enough that he pushed himself even harder in his training.

Kuwabara returned to visit every weekend, and Shuichi even surprised him with a visit or two to check up on him. Harry had the feeling that karma was paying him back for the last three years of hell in full the day he met Shuichi, and he felt a great deal of affection for the red-head every time he came. Shuichi never brought up his ex-wizard status during his visits, which Harry was more than happy to avoid himself, and Kuwabara knew nothing about his stay there other than that Genkai was training him. Harry didn't feel the need to mention anything to him about it either, and if Yukina ever felt the desire to inform her beau, she never mentioned it.

It was three weeks into his stay that he met Yusuke Urameshi and the feeling of being exactly where he needed to be hit him full force.


	8. 07: Yusuke

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** The long-awaited meeting! Hope it lives up to expectations. :)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**07: **Yusuke

-

"So I was thinkin'." Kuwabara pulled a card from the ones held in Shuichi's hand, his face scrunching up into a grimace when it revealed to be the joker. "Man, I suck at this game," he muttered to himself before raising his voice. "Anyway, I was thinkin' seein' as it's summer an' all and there ain't nothin' to do in the city, maybe we can talk Genkai into letting us have movie night. I mean, I'd do it at my place but seein' as you can't go nowhere..." He trailed off, shooting Harry an apologetic look.

"It's not like I'm in prison, Kuwabara," Harry said wryly. "Just boot camp." Shuichi hid his snickers behind his cards, but Kuwabara wasn't so polite and his loud, raucous laughter filled the room.

"What brought about this idea, Kuwabara?" Shuichi asked curiously, taking one of Harry's cards.

"Urameshi's been complaining about his mom and Keiko getting on his nerves, and you haven't met him yet Harry, so I figured, why not kill two birds with one stone, right?"

"That's remarkably intuitive, Kuwabara," Shuichi teased.

"Ah, shaddap," the teen grumbled, snatching a card.

"Sounds like a good idea to me." The three boys turned to the door where Genkai stood watching them with her arms clasped behind her back in her usual stance. "I bet the dimwit has been slacking off. While he's here I can force him to get in some training. You too, Potter." She glared at him. "You're getting better but you're still no where near where you should be at hand-to-hand." Harry shrugged unrepentantly.

"I guess I'm just better at shooting than I am punching." Genkai growled, shaking a fist at him.

"And what about when someone manages to get that gun away from you, moron?!" she yelled. He winced, rubbing at a ringing ear.

"Alright, I get your point." He dropped his cards and stood with a grumble. "Come one, Kuwabara. Spar with me before she makes me give Puu another bath." Kuwabara perked up.

"Hey, alright! Wait, what about the game?" Harry looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What about it? You already lost."

"What?" Kuwabara looked down at the only card remaining in his hand only to realize that he was left with the joker while they'd been talking. "Aw man! I really suck at this game!"

-

Genkai refused to allow him to use Amaterasu during the spar to prove her point, which was proven spectacularly when Kuwabara managed to knock him into the pond with a solid kick to his solar plexus. She had also refused to give her back for the remainder of the week, which was somewhat off-putting. Harry felt like he was missing a limb without her, but in the end he had to admit that he was pretty much useless should he both have her knocked away from him and be out of power. Sure, he could always call her back to his hand, but if he didn't have enough energy left to defend himself long enough to do it, it was rather pointless. He'd never gotten his ass kicked so thoroughly, not even as a child living at the Dursleys'.

Friday didn't come soon enough. It was a relief to wake up that morning and know that he wouldn't have his ass handed to him on a platter at the end of the day. Not that it saved him from his chores, of course. Puu needed another bath - which, he supposed, was Genkai's way of getting back at him for his words earlier that week. Fortunately the bird seemed to be in a state of anticipatory excitement, which made it easier to get him to settle down for the bath, but harder to wash him because he kept fidgeting. Harry ended up soaked to the bone and in need of a change of clothes and a quick shower to wash the soap out of his hair by the time he was done.

He helped Yukina make lunch, which was something they both enjoyed. They didn't have much time to talk in between their chores and his training, and he found that he'd really become attached to this girl that he was beginning to label as 'sister'. Without him realizing it, his family was beginning to grow again, into something stronger than what circumstances and unnecessary fear had destroyed years ago. He found a kinship with these people, something he'd never noticed had been missing in his former life.

Yes, he'd enjoyed his time with the Weasleys, and Hermione. He'd even seen Remus and Tonks and a type of defacto Aunt and Uncle. He'd even missed them all, a little, but after being called a monster and labeled as some blood-thirsty beast that would kill them all as they slept, his tentative affection for them had waned and he came to find that eventually he didn't think of them so often anymore and his memories of them stayed locked in the past where they belonged.

Shuichi was the first to show, dressed plainly in a pair of dark jeans and a blue shirt, an amused smile playing on his face. Harry grinned as he approached, his hands full as he polished Amaterasu. Genkai had finally relinquished her when he was done in the kitchen, and he'd immediately gotten out the cloth he used to polish her to clean away invisible smudge marks. Amaterasu felt like an extension of himself and the three days he'd been without her felt like a lifetime. Shuichi leaned to look at her curiously, having never really caught a solid look before.

"What are those marks?" he asked curiously.

"Runes." Harry tucked the rag away and looked her over with a critical eye. "They work like enchantments, giving her the ability to do certain things. I don't know the exact details, but the way they're carved, the emotions behind them, and the metal used to fill them all contribute to the spell to give it power. From what I know, the gold that was used came from a mine that was incredibly rich in magical and spiritual energy, which gave it its own type of power. It made the spells' runic magic stronger when it was added, something like drinking an energy drink after having a whole pot of coffee. Some are protection runes, so she can't be destroyed, and there are two or three anti-theft enchantments so that I can call her back to my side if ever she's stolen from me. This one," he pointed to the largest rune, placed on the hilt of the gun that looked somewhat like the stick figure version of a fish and a six-point star within the loops of an eternity symbol, "makes the use specific to me. Should my enemy ever try to use her, he'd get a nasty shock. And if he tried to use her against me," he smirked darkly, "he'd get an even nastier one."

"I see." Shuichileaned back, placing his hands inside his pockets. "Yusuke and Kuwabara were right behind me. Apparently Kuwabara forgot something, so they doubled back, but they should be here soon." He watched him silently as he finished with his perusal and holstered the weapon. "You seem a lot happier than when I first met you," the red-head commented softly.

"I guess it's because I am." Harry leaned back on his elbows, his head tilting to the side as Shuichi sat next to him on the steps. "I know I can't leave or I'll be found, but somehow it's hard to feel trapped when you're surrounded by this much nature."

"You're right. It is very calming here."

"Did I ever thank you for bringing me here, Shuichi?" Harry murmured. The teen laughed.

"Yes. Several times, actually." Harry grinned in response.

They didn't have to sit there much longer as a pair of arguing voices approached them and their owners came into view at the top of the stairs that lead up the hill toward the temple.

"I'm not the idiot who left the movies on his desk, Kuwabara."

"Yeah, well I'm not the one who left the snacks behind either, Urameshi, so you can quit blamin' me!"

"We don't even need all that junk, you moron!"

"If those two ever stopped arguing I think I would die of shock," Shuichi said dryly. Harry laughed, drawing the attention of the two combatants.

"Oh, hey, Harry! Hey K-Shuichi! What're you guys doing out here?"

"Genkai gave me the choice of getting out of her hair or de-imping the forest again." He stood, as well as Shuichi, and descended the steps to meet them.

"And I knew we didn't have long to wait so I decided to keep him company," Shuichi agreed.

Harry took a moment to look over the person he assumed was Yusuke Urameshi. He was dressed in a white shirt and stone-washed blue jeans. A green and yellow sports jacket was slung over his shoulder, and his gelled back hair seemed to have a tinge of green to it. He was rather handsome in a classical sense and his posture clearly declared him a proficient fighter. He held out a hand.

"Harry Potter. I'm Genkai's new punching bag." Yusuke grinned.

"Yusuke Urameshi, Genkai's old punching bag."

Their hands met and a heavy jolt went up his spine, giving Harry the strangest impression that he had found what he was looking for.


	9. 08: Movie Night

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** Another short one. I've been feeling like crap lately. I think what I got last year that wiped me out for nearly three weeks is making a return visit, so don't be surprised if I miss days. On the other hand, Jeff Dunham is on Comedy Central tonight! Whoo!

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**08: **Movie Night

-

Harry ignored the strange feeling in favor of watching Yusuke get pummeled by Genkai the moment he stepped through the door. The teen lay sprawled on his ass, rubbing his head where the old woman had hit him. He scowled darkly at her and raised a fist into the air.

"Geez, what was that for you old hag?!"

"That was for slacking off, you punk! That's why I've decided you will not be allowed to leave until I'm sure you've been keeping up to snuff."

"How's that fair?" Yusuke demanded, standing up again. "I'm still as strong as ever, grandma."

"Oh yeah?" She hit him again, sending him back to the floor.

"Ow! Geez! Enough with the abuse already, I'll stay damnit!" She glared at him for assuming he had a choice in the matter and crossed her hands behind her back again.

"Good. I'll need some help getting Potter into shape."

"You just like seeing me get beat up, don't you?" Harry accused her.

"I have to get my amusement somewhere." Harry huffed and rolled his eyes to hide his grin. Genkai had the strangest sense of humor from anyone he'd ever met.

"You too, huh?" Yusuke shared a commiserating look with him.

"Like I said," he shook his head in wry amusement, "I'm her new punching bag." Genkai's eyebrow twitched.

"Shut up!" A moment later he found himself sprawled on the floor as well.

"Bloody hell, do you have to be so violent?" Harry muttered, rubbing the back of his head. She ignored him, walking out of the room to wherever the hell she went to in the afternoon. "Sometimes," he said, getting off the floor, "I get the feeling that woman is trying to kill me."

-

The movie ended up being some B-rated sequel of a sequel action flick that was cheesy in the extreme. Yusuke spent his time jeering the actors and throwing popcorn at the screen while Kuwabara spent his telling Yukina how much better he was than the actors when it came to the action scenes. That led to Yusuke switching his attention to teasing Kuwabara and _that _led to an all-out food fight while he and Shuichi sat watching helplessly off to the side. Then the boys ended up splashing soda on the other two, which led to war. Yukina was the only one to come out completely clean.

After an hour or two scrubbing the room clean to avoid Genkai's retaliation, the four settled down to a poker game in Harry's room using candy in place of poker chips while Yukina headed off to bed. A few extra sets of bedding were piled in a corner for the boys. Harry hadn't seen them bring anything but movies and snacks and wondered, but apparently they had all been at Genkai's enough that they had a permanent set of spare clothes stored away for them.

"So what's your story anyway?" Yusuke asked him part way through their second hand.

"Yeah, what's the deal?" Kuwabara unwrapped a chocolate from his pile and flicked it into the air to catch it in his mouth. "I don't think you've ever mentioned it."

"Genkai has granted me sanctuary." Harry added a few pieces from his stash into the pot. "For the past several years I have been running and hiding from a group of people that wish to kill me. They can't harm me here. In return, I do a few chores around the temple such as controlling the pest population of the Dark Forest, feeding the snakes in the snake pit, and washing Puu." Yusuke perked up.

"Oh, yeah, Puu! I completely forgot about him."

"You moron, Urameshi!" Kuwabara growled, cuffing the back of his head. "How can you forget about your own Spirit Beast?"

"He's yours?" Harry asked Yusuke, startled. He turned away from glaring at Kuwabara to look at him.

"Heh, yeah. I should probably check up on him tomorrow or he'll start to sulk."

"You're so mean," Kuwabara grumbled.

"It's not like he's my pet or anything," Yususke snapped at him.

"But still, Urameshi, it's not right to just forget about him."

"Butt out, Kuwabara! I've had a lot on my mind, all right?"

"Things not working out with Keiko, then?" Shuichi asked lightly.

"What's there to work out? She know I think of her more like a sister, but she still keeps trying to change my mind. Between her and my mom asking when I'm going to propose, I'm going nuts." Yusuke grumbled a bit before showing his hand, a two pair kings over nines. "Look, I don't want to talk about it. I came here to escape from all that. Can we please change the subject?"

"Sure." Shuichi smiled, showing his full house. Harry displayed his royal flush and Kuwabara threw his cards down.

"Aw man! I think these cards have it out for me," the teen said mournfully.


	10. 09: Unwanted Guests

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** Yesterday sucked. The end.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**09: **Unwanted Guests

-

Shuichi went home after breakfast the next day, and Kuwabara took Yukina up on her offer of a picnic in the garden. Harry and Yusuke followed Genkai into a clear field for their first training exercise.

"Hand over Amaterasu," Genkai demanded of Harry once they were there and he reluctantly began to unstrap the holster.

"Do I have to?" he grumbled half-heartedly, already knowing the answer.

"I dunno, grandma," Yusuke said teasingly. "You might want to give him a handicap if he's really as bad as you say he is." Harry growled and handed her his gun. He slipped into a fighting stance and smirked at the other boy who did the same.

"I won't need a handicap."

"Whatever you say, _Harry_." They stood in their stances for a long moment until Genkai gave them the signal.

"Begin!"

Almost immediately Yusuke disappeared and Harry cursed, releasing his spirit awareness to seek him out. He just barely managed to dodge the flying kick that came out of nowhere, launching himself to deliver a punch to his solar plexus. Yusuke disappeared again and Harry landed in a crouch, back-flipping out of the way as he appeared above him. They went at each other like this for another five minutes, one dodging while the other attacked until Yusuke managed to land an uppercut to his chin. Harry flew back from the hit, managing to use the momentum to land a kick to his jaw. The two landed away from each other, eyeing their opponent.

"Not bad," Yusuke commented, rubbing the sore spot on his chin.

"It gets getter." Harry smirked, placing both of his hands on the ground and gathered his energy. "Shower of Stones!" He released his power and Yusuke gave him a shocked look as the ground erupted beneath him, rocks flying at him from the air. What he couldn't dodge he destroyed with his fists, however a few had managed to hit their mark.

"Not bad at all," Yusuke amended, a fierce grin on his face. "Lets see what you make of this." He cocked his finger as though pointing a gun. "Spirit Gun!"

Harry grunted as a ball of bright blue light crashed into his chest, sending him flying for several meters. He landed on his back, skidding a few more feet until he stopped. He stood up slowly, wincing and rubbing at his chest.

"Okay, I wasn't expecting that." Yusuke laughed, slipping into his fighting stance.

Harry launched himself again, jumping just moments before reaching the other in a fake-out. He kicked out, however Yusuke managed to grab his leg and use his momentum to forcefully propel him into the ground. Harry managed to twist and swept his other foot out, sweeping Yusuke's legs out from underneath him. They flipped onto their feet at the same time, throwing and blocking punches. Yusuke landed a punch to Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and followed up with a knee to the chin. Yusuke followed him to the ground, crossing one arm over his neck, the other poised in a fist above his face and glowing with blue spiritual energy.

"Yield?" the teen said in the same teasing tone as before.

"Yield," Harry gasped out in agreement, still winded from the punch. He groaned as Yusuke helped him up onto his feet, bending over slightly as he regained his breath.

"You're not bad, Potter, but I see where you could use the help." Yusuke stretched with a happy grin. "Man! This is exactly the kinda thing I need to take my mind offa things."

"You can't escape the girl forever, Yusuke," Genkai said dryly, handing Amaterasu back to Harry.

"Nah, it doesn't need to be forever. Just until she decides she doesn't want to marry me." He thought about that and winced. "Okay, maybe it does need to be forever."

"I don't understand. If you don't care about the girl in that way, why don't you just tell her that?" Harry asked, strapping the holster back on his thigh.

"Believe me, I have. She doesn't believe me." Yusuke crossed his arms and scowled. "Says it's commitment phobia. I don't mind committing, I just don't want to commit to her."

"And you've told her this?"

"Yep. Then she slapped me and ignored me for a few days, but went right back at it. Man, she's hopeless."

"I think a more accurate term would be 'hopefull'," Harry said, amused.

"Che. Whatever."

-

Kuwabara and Yukina joined them for the dinner Harry cooked in order to give her more time with Kuwabara. The atmosphere at the table was light-hearted and relaxing, despite the petty squabbles Yusuke and Kuwabara kept goading each other into in between Yusuke teasing Harry about losing the spar and Kuwabara trying to flirt with Yukina.

Despite the tranquility, Harry had an uneasy feeling coiling in his gut. Something was off but he couldn't pinpoint it. He sent out an extremely small pulse out as far as twenty meters. He noticed that Kuwabara shivered as it passed through him and looked around but seemed to dismiss it and return to his argument with Yusuke. He waited for the pulse to return and when it did, he gasped, his spoon falling from nerveless fingers as the rest of his body tensed and straitened.

"Harry?" Yukina gave him a concerned look but his focus was still on the energy signals he could feel outside, far too familliar for comfort.

"Eight of them, no..." he murmured softly, unaware of the attention he had gained from the others at the table. "Ten. Maybe more."

Genkai put her chopsticks down and stood, walking toward the door. "You four stay out of sight, I'll go see who our unwelcome guests are." She exited the temple doors. Harry wasn't willing to just sit and wait, however, and he stood to follow her, sticking to the shadows. He was aware of Yusuke and Kuwabara following him, being equally careful to stay hidden.

The boys stayed in the shadows of the entrance, peering out into the night past Genkai who stood rigidly at the top of the steps, glaring down at the intruders whom had somehow made it past her wards undetected. Nearly a dozen blue robed men stood just within the walls of the inner courtyard, an all-too familiar figure at the head. Harry growled softly, his hand incing toward Amaterasu, trigger fingers twitching in response to his ire.

There before him stood Albus Dumbledore, the bane of his existance and the man who had ordered his capture at any cost, including and preferably his death.

"Who are you?" Genkai demanded. "And why have you invaded my temple?" The old man stepped forward imperiously, a hard expression on his face he did not normally show the world in order to keep up his mask of appearances.

"Who we are matters not," he said in an arrogant tone that reminded Harry of Malfoy at his worst. "We have come for the demon. Release him to us, and we will leave without further trouble."


	11. 10: Revelation

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **I wrote a side story for this fic, and I'm planning more. They will be posted under the story title **Freedom's Side Stories**. The first one is up now, so go look if you're interested.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**10: **Revelation

-

The silence hung heavy in the cool night air. Harry was aware of the intense scrutiny from Yusuke but he refused to take his eyes off of his old mentor. Dumbledore was unpredictable at best, and he wouldn't put it past the man to have a backup plan or bargaining ship of some kind.

"You have trespassed on my property," Genkai said frostily. "You have no room for demands."

"Our quarrel is not with you, madam. I suggest you hand over the demon or we will be forced to take drastic measures."

"I will say this one last time. You are not welcome here. Leave before I get angry." Dumbledore stared coldly at her for a moment, a look she returned tenfold.

"Then you leave us with no choice." As one, his men drew their wands and pointed them at her and shouted spells only to stare, dumbfounded, as the magic sparked and fizzled out before it could leave their wands.

"Impossible!" exclaimed one of the men, causing a small ripple of murmuring to fall over the group.

"Your _sticks_have no power here." They bristled at the obvious insult and began to shout more spells, growing more and more frustrated at every failed attempt. Genkai watched them with a sort of detached amusement. Dumbledore finally called for a cease-fire and the men fell silent, glaring furiously at the old woman who watched them calmly.

"What is this curse?" the old man demanded.

"I have never trusted wizards," Genkai answered him. "I have therefore taken precautions against your means of attack and transportation in order to protect my home. As long as you are on my property, those wands are as useful as kindling." A dark look crossed Dumbledore's eyes.

"Why do you protect that _creature_? Its evil has no place in our world and must be destroyed." Genaki closed her eyes and shook her head.

"You wand-wielders are so immersed in your own world that you cannot see the fundamental rule of life. Where evil exists in the world, so too does good. Demons have the same capacity for goodness in them as humans do for evil. And yet you stay within the confines of black and white, never learning the truth that exists right under your very noses. You wish to kill a child that has never done harm, so caught up in your own simplistic ideals. It's pitiful."

"The demon is a murderer!" yelled a man. He stepped forward, glaring at the psychic, clenching his useless wand in a tight grip. "That _child_ as you call him has killed before and will kill again. He must be stopped!"

"If I have killed," Harry spoke, stepping from the darkness to stand beside Genkai, "it was within self defence, in preservation of my own life." Amaterasu was clutched in his fist at his side. He stared into the hateful eyes of his old mentor, wondering why he had never seen his true exterier. "I have left Britain and I have no intentions to ever return there. You have merely to return home and forget my existence, yet still you hunt me after three years. Why do you refuse me my freedom?"

"You are a threat," Dumbledore said coldly. "One that must be destroyed."

"A threat to what?" he snapped. "Your reputation? If that is all, you're doing a fine job of destroying that yourself!"

"A threat to our way of life, to the very world. Your kind should not be allowed to exist."

"Ah, shove it why don't you, ya old fart." Harry looked at Yusuke in surprise. The young man gave the group an annoyed look. "You interrupted my dinner and that kinda shit pisses me off. You ain't gettin' our buddy here, so why don't you just go home and choke or somethin'."

"This doesn't concern you, _boy_," the old man spat.

"The hell it doesn't!" Yusuke yelled, slipping into a fighting stance. "You threatened my friend and I don't take kindly to that."

Harry couldn't help it. He couldn't take his eyes off of him. Here was this boy who'd only yesterday been a complete stranger, defending him despite the fact that he'd been revealed as something he should despise. A rare heartbeat pulsed, spreading warmth throughout his chest.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Dumbledore lifting his hand and suddenly remembered that he was considered one of the most powerful wandless users in the world. Harry quickly raised Amaterasu and shot at the bottom of the stairs, a bright blue shield washing into existence just as a beam of sickly red light splashed across it's surface. He bared his teeth, sneering at the elderly wizard.

"I suggest you don't do that again," he hissed, the barrel of Amaterasu pointed dead center to his forehead.

"That was so cool!" Harry's lips twitched at Yusuke's awed exclamation but kept his attention trained on the old man in case he made another threatening move. The man stayed still.

"Still think this demon is worth protecting?" the old man said coolly. Genkai narrowed her eyes at him.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are the monster here. Now get off my property before I set the dimwit on you." Yusuke grinned fiercely in anticipation.

Dumbledore sneered coldly at her. "Don't think this is over, demon," he said to Harry. He swept out the temple gate, his men following behind him reluctantly.

The three stood on the porch for a few moments longer, waiting to make sure they didn't change their minds and return. Finally Genkai turned and walked past them to go back inside.

"The jigs up, kid," she said impassively as she sat back down at the table, where Yukina was waiting with anxious eyes. She calmly picked up her tea and took a sip. "You might as well tell them everything." Harry sighed and holstered Amaterasu as he sat down as well.

He was so not looking forward to this.


	12. 11: Mazoku

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **Sorry! I did warn you guys I wasn't feeling well, although some people don't seem to read author notes considering some of the questions I've gotten that were already answered....

This chapter is dedicated to **Etidorpha**, who pointed out that I needed to explain how the wizards were able to track him down. So I came up with something and stuck it in there.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**11: **Mazoku

-

Harry stared around uncertainly, unsure of where to begin.

"So," Yusuke said slowly in an encouraging tone, "you're a demon?" Harry shifted uneasily.

"Yes. Although, technically I'm a demon through _Atavism_." Yusuke's eyebrows rose, as did Kuwabara's.

"Wait, I thought only the Amazoku had the _Atavism _ability." Kuwabara looked at Genkai in confusion.

"No," she said. "The ability is rare but not specific to only one breed of demons. Centuries ago, however, the Spirit World hunted and destroyed as many demons that carried the trait as they could."

"So does that mean you're a Mazoku?" Yusuke asked. Harry shook his head.

"No, I'm not a decendant of the Amazoku Clan. As far as I know, my kind has not been on record or have been gone so long that they've been completely forgotten. All I know about my history is that my demon ancestor was impregnated by a human and abandoned the human child in Living World. The child then grew and had children of their own and the trait passed through the line until my mother passed it to me. It awoke when my would-be killer attempted to take my life when I was fifteen months old, and when he did so again when I was fourteen, I went through the transition."

"Huh." Yusuke looked thoughtful. "I wonder if all _Atavism_ have to die twice before they can go demon." Harry looked at him in confusion.

"It does seem to be par for the course," said Genkai. She looked at Harry. "You said you were looking for the Mazoku, to learn more about what you are."

"Uh, yes," Harry said slowly. He had the distinct feeling he was missing something. "So I can find the way to win my freedom and stop running from my past."

"Wow." Yusuke chuckled. He scratched his cheek, a teasing light in his eyes. "You spent all that time looking for little ol' me? I'm flattered."

Harry flummoxed. "W-what?"

"Let me properly introduce us." Yusuke grinned cheekily and pointed at the others at the table, first himself, then Yukina, Kuwabara, and lastly Genkai, saying as he went, "Demon, demon, human, hag." Genkai's eyebrow twitched and she threw a spoon at his head, hitting him dead center.

"Moron!" Yusuke grinned, rubbing the spot and chuckling. Harry stared at him incredulously.

"You're the Mazoku?"

"In the flesh." He flexed his arms in the imitation of an old-school super hero. "The almighty Mazoku, Detective of the Spirit World, heir to the throne of Raizen and all around bad-ass punk."

"You forgot to add dimwitted slacker," Genkai growled through clenched teeth.

"You knew all this time and you didn't say anything?!" Harry rounded on his teacher, leveling a finger at her accusingly. She gave him an unimpressed look.

"It wasn't my secret to tell." Harry deflated.

"Well... I guess."

"If you're a demon how come I can't sense any of your demon energy?" asked Kuwabara. "I mean, I can feel Urameshi's and he ain't even all demony right now."

"Because of this." Harry pointed at the lighting bolt charm on his choker. "It was specially made in order to hide my aura from detection. It made it easier to hide." He reached behind his neck and hesitated before undoing the clasp and slipping it off.

He could feel the glamours fade as the choker came off and the marks appeared. He already knew what they would see, for it was the same as what he saw when he woke up after the week-long transition. A six pointed star in the middle of his forehead and two jagged red lines that began from beneath his eyelids and ran down his cheeks to his jaw with matching slashes on either side of his neck that met up at the hollow of his throat before following his collar bone to his shoulders. He knew that underneath his shirt were more red marks, lines that curved around his pectoral muscles to either side of his ribcage before curving down his sides to meet at the hollow of his back. He also knew there would be two bands around each bicep with strange runic symbols between them that had never been able to translate from any language he'd come across, the same symbols that trailed in three lines down his abdomen and on the inside of his forearms. There was another red tattoo that ran down the length of his spine from between his shoulder blades with a cross mark that formed a larger version of the six-point star on his forehead.

"Woah," Kuwabara muttered. "That's some energy."

"Pretty!" said Yukina with a giggle. "They bring out your eyes." Harry blinked at her.

Genkai examined the marks with intense scrutiny, her brows furrowed in thought. Yusuke also examined the lines, but more in curiosity at the difference between them and his own that appeared when he utilized his demonic energy.

"I can't place the markings," she said finally. "I wouldn't be able to tell you where they come from." Harry shrugged.

"That's alright. I've never been able to either."

"How come the marks don't fade when you aren't using your energy?" Yusuke asked, leaning into his personal space to look closer. Harry twitched at the proximity and his careless disregard of comfort zones. "Mine only show up when I go demon as Kuwabara puts it."

"I don't know. They never went away after the transition and became harder to hide behind simple glamours. So I had the charm made that allows me to hide in plain sight in order to get around easier without being attacked by every demon hunter this side of the pond."

"Huh. Well that's cool I guess." Harry replaced the choker around his neck and he felt the enchantments snap back into place. Kuwabara shivered as his energy suddenly disappeared.

"Now that's freaky! I have a high spiritual awareness and I'd never even be able to find you with that thing on." Harry smiled in amusement.

"I believe that was the point." Kuwabara flushed as he recalled Harry's explanation and grumbled.

"So if you're wearing that aura suppressor thing, how do they keep finding you?" Yusuke asked curiously. Harry frowned.

"They tracking my blood. There are some spells and potions that can track the biological make-up of a being. However, they take a long time and a lot of power. It would be much easier for them if they could sense for my energy because the process is much less complicated; of course, I'm not about to make things easy for them. Alongside the blood tracking spells, however, they have other means. They have several very intelligent Muggleborns on their side - that is, magical children of humans who cannot do magic - who have become very proficient into hacking into electronic databases, such as satellite feeds and security footage. Then there is the old way, simply questioning people on the street or within establishments."

"Oh. Well that makes sense I guess."

Harry looked around the table at all of them, amazed at the way they could simply brush aside the entire thing as though it wasn't all that important. "You really aren't concerned about any of this, are you?" he said softly upon the realization.

"Nah." Yusuke waved a hand in the air as if to brush it away. "After four years of all this strange shit you get used to weird. I mean, it was kinda a shock when I got hit by that car and died the first time, but after a while it became somewhat normal for demons to be poppin' up everywhere. Although, I gotta admit I'm kinda glad that this time it ain't to kill me or challenge me for my status or whatever." He grinned. "Though, most of 'em have learned not to fuck with me if they don't wanna get their asses kicked."

After this comment, dinner finished without further ceremony. Later that night as he lay in bed, Harry looked across the room toward Yusuke's sprawled form and worried his lip in thought.

__

'Alright, Potter. You've found the Mazoku. Now what?'


	13. 12: Keiko

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** Please read the notes at the end.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**12: **Keiko

-

The next few days passed without much incident. Shizuru, Kuwabara's sister, showed up the morning after the wizards arrived to drag him home by the ear to prepare for the college entrance exams. Yukina decided she wanted to plant another flower garden and spent her time on that, while Harry and Yusuke spent their own time being pummeled mercilessly by the smallest drill sargent in the world. They were given a 'break' to feed the living trees in the Dark Forest, which Harry decided he officially hated, wherein Yusuke got into a scuffle with Baldok for "old times sake".

All in all, it was nothing like what Harry would have expected after revealing his demon heritage.

He found himself fascinated by Yusuke. He wasn't anything like what Harry expected the Mazoku to be, taking life with a carefree aplomb that was almost humbling to witness. He could clearly see the affection teacher and student had for each other when he and Genkai interacted, even beneath their almost constant bickering. He'd be close to feeling like an outsider during these times, but then Yusuke would turn to him and spout off some remark about his lacking melee skills and start a new spar. He'd never had so much fun in his life.

Giving Puu his bi-weekly bath was even harder with Yusuke there as the beast never seemed to want to settle down. With something to compare it to, he could easily see how the demon phoenix matched Yusuke so well in both deed and personality. Like Yusuke, the bird didn't seem to want to exclude him in any way and made Harry feel like less of a third wheel that he would usually. That didn't stop him from knocking him down into the mud any, though, which Harry wasn't quite sure he appreciated.

Either way, Harry was the most content he could say hed ever been in his life. Even with the threat of the wizards constantly in the back of his mind he couldn't seem to fall back into the survival mode he'd had to utilize for years.

A week passed in this fashion, and then another and another and Harry woke up one day with the realization that he'd been at Genkai's temple for nearly two months and that if things could stay status quo, he'd never leave again.

Too bad fate had it out for him.

-

The day he met Keiko Yukimora started out cold and rainy. It began as a drizzle in the early morning and by noon you could barely see your hand in front of your face, keeping the group of three demons and a psychic confined inside. Not that it stopped Genkai from working them to exhaustion, however, and by the time lunchtime rolled around Harry was so dead tired he couldn't even muster up the energy to help Yukina in the kitchen.

The short reprieve didn't last long and they were soon back at it. Harry was finally allowed to use Amaterasu in a spar to both help Yusuke learn how to bypass and overcome magical energy and help Harry learn how to fight with her short range. They breaked again four hours later and Harry retreated to the kitchen to help Yukina prepare for dinner. Yusuke wandered in not much later claiming boredom and quickly settled on an unused countertop to watch them work.

The knock on the door around seven just after dinner ended and the dishes had been cleaned and put away came as a surprise to everyone. By the looks of it outside the storm was starting to let up, but it was still raining and dark enough that anyone would be crazy to brave the travel and half-mile climb up to the shrine. Yukina went to answer and when she came back with a soaked and clearly unhappy brunette behind her, he saw an immediate change come over Yusuke. His open and previously joking expression vanished from his face and a cold aloofness replaced it. Such a closed expression made Harry uneasy, and from the looks of it, Genkai wasn't too happy about it either.

"Hey, Keiko," Yusuke drawled carelessly. "What're you doin' here?"

"Looking for _you_, moron," she growled. She smiled brightly at Yukina when the blue-haired Ice Maiden offered to get her a towel but returned to glaring at Yusuke with a furious expression a moment later. "You just up and disappeared. As _usual_. I went to see your mom but she said you hadn't been home or called in weeks, Shizuru barricaded Kuwabara in his room until he finishes studying for the entrance exams, and it's not like I even know where Kurama lives, so I came here. You can't avoid me forever, Yusuke, that's hardly the mark of a good boyfriend."

"Considering I'm not your boyfriend, I hardly think that matters." That remark caused her face to go red in anger.

"Why do you do that?" She clutched at the soaked jacket in her arms. "Why do you say that, like you don't care? Like I don't matter to you anymore?" Her eyes lowered to the floor filling with tears. Yusuke's face softened and he sighed, getting up off the floor.

"Come on, Keiko," he said resignedly. "Let's go talk, okay?" Keiko sniffled and nodded her head, following him out of the room.

Genkai sighed when they left.

"I almost pity that girl. She can't see that Yusuke's always considered her like the sister he's never had and clings to the ideals of a happy, romantic future with him. I don't think she realizes that she loves him in a familial way and not a romantic one, though I get the feeling that she'll realize it soon enough. For such a smart girl, she can be rather obtuse, especially where it concerns Yusuke." She sipped her tea quietly and Harry fiddled with his own half-empty cup, wondering why the thought of Yusuke and Keiko being alone together bothered him so much.

Keiko left an hour later, not that Harry was around to see her departure. He'd left not long after they did claiming an early turn-in, still feeling unusually unsettled. He turned the situation around in his head for a while and fell into an uneasy sleep with still no answers to settle his mind.

-

**Keiko Fans: **Don't worry, I'm not bashing her or turning her into a bitch/slut/whatever. Things will be worked out by the end of the fic.

**Keiko Haters:** No, I'm not going to bash her or make her permanently disappear. While I don't like her as a love interest (and _not_ because I prefer slash, I have other reasons), I _do_ like her as a supporting character/non-fighter. She's staying.


	14. 13: Botan

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN:** The story is about to heat up now. You ready? :)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**13: **Botan

-

The storm lasted another three days. Genkai was merciless despite the fact that the two sparing partners were completely distracted by other thoughts, landing them with more bruises than ever. On the fourth day, the storm let up and Genkai kicked them out in of the house in disgust with the order to get over it or they weren't allowed back inside, "And I don't care it if means you have to sleep in the woods!"

He and Yusuke shared a look before cracking up in laughter.

"Hey, you wanna go play with Baldok?" Yusuke asked hopefully, hitching a thumb at the forest.

"Yusuke, I think he's terrified of you now," Harry said in amusement. "You'd probably have to chase him down or something."

"Oh. Damn." He stood there for a moment before flailing his arms helplessly and shouting, "I'm fricken bored, damnit!"

"Oh good!" Yusuke jumped with a startled yell at the same time Harry pulled Amaterasu and they turned to face a blue-haired woman floating on a boat oar. She smiled happily at them. "That means you have time for a mission!"

"Awright!" Yusuke pumped his fist in the air. "I think this is the first time I've ever been happy to get a summons from the damned toddler."

"Um..." Harry said in confusion. The woman and Yusuke looked at him. The girl gasped and jumped off of the oar, making it disappear while looking entirely too nervous.

"Oh, hello," she said, laughing weakly. "I didn't see you there. I'm Botan," she said as though she had not just made a floating oar disappear into nothing.

"Harry." He gave her a strange look and she fidgeted. "I think that's the first time I've seen a flying oar. Flying broom, flying car, flying vacuum cleaner, yeah, but I've never seen an oar."

"You've seen a flying vacuume cleaner?" Yusuke said in astonishment. Harry shrugged.

"Once. It was an accident." They stared at him. "What?" Yusuke shook his head, grinning, and turned to Botan.

"So what's the mission? Rogue demon? Missing treasure? Enki lose a horn?" He stretched as he spoke, looking excited.

"No, nothing like that. Well, the rogue demon part is pretty much on the money, but it's a lot more serious than that." Her face lost the happy smile as she gained a serious expression. "There's been a break-out at the Spirit World Prison. Someone snuck in and released several of the prisoners, all of which _you _put behind bars, so we have reason to suspect that you're their target. Most of the escapees are small fries and will be easy to round up again, however the real concern is the person who was able to break them out in the first place. Security has been strictly tightened ever since Hiei, Kurama, and Goki broke into the King's vault when you first became Spirit Detective, you know."

"So any clue who this guy is?"

"We don't have much to go on, actually. All we know is that the escapees are hiding out in the abandoned City of Ghosts and Apparitions. They re-built the Saint Beasts' castle for their own needs and are using it as their stronghold. Koenma is sending all of you back there to re-apprehend the criminals and catch the one who freed them."

"Sound pretty open and shut to me," said Yusuke. "When do we go?"

"Don't underestimate this guy, Yusuke," she said, waving a finger under his nose. "We don't know who he is or how powerful, so you're going in blind. There aren't any room for mistakes in a case like this."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Wait, you said all of us. Hiei too?"

"Bingo!" She smiled. "That's right, even Hiei."

"Woah, how'd you get him away from Mukuro?"

"Well, he's been pretty bored on patrol lately, so when we tracked him down he agreed right away. I guess catching stray humans that wander into Demon World can't be too exciting of a job!" she giggled.

"Hiei, as in the same person you just mentioned broke into some vault?" Harry asked. Yusuke chuckled.

"Yeah. Koenma put Hiei and Kurama on probation by having them join my team after I caught 'em. I've been through a lot with those guys." He perked up suddenly. "Hey, why don't you come with us?"

"Um," Botan looked concerned. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Yusuke. No offense to you or anything," she said to Harry, "but I don't think Koenma will be too happy with that."

"She's right. Besides, I can't leave anyway, remember?" Harry reminded him. Yusuke crossed his arms.

"Che. It's not like they can follow you into Demon World, or nuthin', and they're dead meat if they did."

"Am I missing something?" Botan asked, looking confused. Yusuke grabbed her arm and led her to the temple.

"C'mon. We'll tell you all about it and see what Genkai says."

Harry followed behind the protesting Botan and determined Yusuke, shaking his head all the while.


	15. 14: Team Urameshi

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **The author is sick (again) so I'll be taking a few days to get better and then a few more days to clear my already extremely full inbox. I know I kind of leave you off at a cliffhanger, but at least it'll keep you anxious! I'll try to update no later than Monday, okie?

Enter Hiei, stage... somewhere. I really should have given him more lines. Heh.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**14: **Team Urameshi

-

In the end, Genkai agreed to let Harry go, seeing it as a good training opportunity and since it would be in Demon World there was a smaller chance for running into wizards, and Harry caved to Yusuke's pleading look. Botan wasn't too happy about it and kept muttering words like 'protocal' and 'fired', but eventually gave in as well. She left after informing them that the mission started the next day and went off to inform Yusuke's other teammates.

Meanwhile, Genkai gave them both 'the look' and they trooped into the training room without a word.

Later that night in what Harry had come to call 'their' room as Yusuke still hadn't bothered to go requisition one of his own, he was regaled with tales of the exploits of Team Urameshi, starting from the very beginning when he'd met Hiei and Kurama and the struggle to get back the artifacts they'd stolen, and moving along to the city they would be heading off to the next day. He told Harry about the Gate of Betrayal and the Saint Beasts, then of rescuing Yukina and how Hiei still refused to tell her that he was her long-lost twin brother. He spoke of Toguro and the Dark Tournament and admitted that it had hurt when Genkai died and how scared he'd been that Kuwabara was dead too and he might not actually win. He then talked about Sensui and Raizen and how pissed off he'd been during the three years he'd spent in Demon World, not ready to come home until he felt he was truly over his demon 'father's' death.

Harry had asked what Kurama was like and Yusuke gave him a startled look before laughing and answering with, "You'll find out tomorrow." He'd been extremely amused for quite a while afterwards, and no matter how Harry cajoled, Yusuke wouldn't tell him what he'd meant.

Harry reciprocated with tales of his own time as a wizard and the dream he'd had in the week of his transition, talking to a woman with long dark hair and tattoos like his own markings. He talked about his years on the run and the places he visited, never being able to stay long in one place, and the close calls he'd had where he'd almost been caught. Yusuke listened to those stories with a strange, dark look in his eyes, but Harry didn't dwell on it too long.

They settled down for sleep late into the night. The room had been silent for more than ten minutes when Yusuke made a soft comment before rolling over and falling asleep.

"You're real easy to talk to, Harry, y'know?"

Harry woke suddenly several hours later, sitting up like a shot as the answer hed been looking for hit him like a ton of bricks or one of Yusuke's punches and he completely froze up, eyes wide in astonishment. He, Harry Potter, was falling for Yusuke Urameshi.

Hard.

"Well, shit," summed that up pretty nicely.

-

Kuwabara arrived just as they were finishing breakfast, looking like he'd run there the entire way.

"Man, Shizuru almost caught me as I was leaving," he said, panting. He looked over his shoulder as though his sister would pop out from behind a doorway to take him back home again. Yusuke laughed himself sick, clutching his stomach.

"You are so whipped, Kuwabara." The tall teen's face turned red.

"Shaddap, Urameshi! You don't know how she's been this past week! She's been driving me so hard I've been dreaming about polynomials and Shakespeare." That started another round of raucous laughter and Kuwabara dove to hit the crap out of him.

"Now boys, starting fights this early in the morning?" Shuichi walked into the room, taking in the scene with amused eyes. Yusuke snuck up behind Harry and threw an arm over his shoulder with a teasing grin. Harry fought down a blush, but only just.

"Harry, I don't believe you met _Kurama_." Harry turned his head so fast it almost cracked, staring at the red-head with astonished eyes.

"_You're _Kurama?" he said incredulously. "The demon fox thief who broke into the vaults to steal the Dark Artifacts?"

"Yusuke," Shuichi-Kurama scolded. "Really, was that necessary?"

"I should think so, considering Harry's coming with us on this mission," the team leader said with a laugh. Shuichi-Kurama looked at Harry with interest.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Yusuke talked me into it."

"Turns out Harry's a demon too," Yusuke said. "An _Atavism_, like me, only from a different clan. No one knows what clan though."

"That's interesting." Kurama gave Harry a look that made him feel like a bug under a microscope and he fidgeted.

"All we need is Hiei and the gang's all here!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

"He'll probably show up with Botan when she comes to open the portal. Meanwhile, why don't you give me the full explanation I seem to have missed out on." Harry laughed nervously as he was treated again to the 'bug-look'.

Harry told the red-head about his ancestry for the next several minutes while they waited outside, rushing through it as quick as possible to get out from under that look the fox demon was giving him. Eventually, Kurama seemed satisfied with the explanation. Harry didn't ask for one of his own as Yusuke had already told him about Yoko Kurama and the deal with the Forlorn Hope mirror.

They didn't have much longer to wait for Botan, who arrived on her floating oar. A short, trim man seemed to blur out of nowhere, appearing next to Kurama.

"Hiei!" Yusuke called. "Long time no see. How's things on patrol?"

"Boring." The young man's drawl was deep and apathetic. He wore a black coat over black pants and boots, the only other colour being a white scarf around his neck. His gravity-defying black hair displayed a prominent white starburst and his red eyes as they locked onto Harry's seemed to be saying, 'I want to kill you I just can't decide how to yet.' Harry shivered.

"Hiei, this is Harry. He's under sanctuary with the old hag and he'll be coming with us." Yusuke pointed a thumb in his direction, grinning as he spoke. "Genkai thinks it'l lbe a good training exercise."

The demon scoffed, a mixture of annoyance and disgust on his face. "Like we need another human to babysit." Harry twitched, feeling insulted.

"Now, now, boys, we really don't have time for fighting," Botan said, waving her hands in the air placating. "The portal should be opening any minute now." No sooner had she finished speaking did a round circle appear, cutting through the fabric of space. It was filled with a myriad of colours, greens, blues, and purples being prominent alongside black.

"Me first, Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled, jumping feet first into the portal parallel to the ground.

"Idiot," Hiei scoffed.

"He is rather foolish," Kurama agreed, before he followed the human into the portal, the fire demon following quickly after.

"See ya on the other side, Harry," Yusuke said cheerfully, jumping in next.

"Harry." He looked over his shoulder at Genkai, standing on the porch. "When you get there I suggest you remove your charm or you'll be asking for trouble." Harry nodded in understanding. "Good luck. Try not to die."

He smiled, gave her a small wave, and followed the others into the darkness.


	16. 15: The Mission

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **The chapters will get longer after the next. Promise. Thanks for being patient. :) (And yes, I'm feeling much better, my thanks to all who asked.)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**15: **The Mission

-

He felt dissoriented, like he was Portkeying in a Floo, which was not at all a pleasant sensation. He came out of it several meters from the ground and flipped to distribute his weight so that when he landed in a crouch next to Kuwabara his legs weren't jarred. He shook his head to get rid of the sensation of his first portal into Demon World, extremely pleased that his demon constitution allowed him to better handle dizziness.

"Well that was slightly creepy," he muttered, standing up and brushing imaginary dirt off of his pant legs. Yusuke snorted out a laugh at his comment and he realized belatedly that he'd said it louder than he thought he did. He thought he'd heard Hiei mutter a derogatory, "Humans," but he ignored it in favor of checking to make sure Amaterasu was still strapped securely to his thigh.

Satisfied that it was and everything was in order, he reached up and undid the clasp on his choker, gasping at the unusually sharp way the charms shut down. The others looked at him when he did so, and Yusuke's and Kuwabara's eyes widened.

"Woah! Harry, your marks are different," said Kuwabara. Harry looked strangely at him and Yusuke nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. Here, look." Yusuke dug around in his pockets and pulled out a powder-blue compact with buttons, which Harry took. He looked at his reflection and blinked. The red zigzags were now outlined in a deep, royal purple and on either side of his star were two curving lines in the same colour that stopped at his temples. He lifted up his jacket sleeve to look at the runes on his forearms, also outlined in purple. Each rune was surrounded by a circle of smaller purple runes and as he looked closer, he noticed the colours had a silvery metallic sheen.

"That's new." He wondered if they would stay that way, but found he really didn't care. He dropped his sleeve and jumped as Hiei blurred before him, glaring up at him with narrow eyes.

"You're a demon?" Harry leaned backwards, away from his scrutinizing look.

"Yes," he said slowly.

"You smell human."

"That's because I was human. It's an atavistic gene." Hiei snorted and stepped back.

"I see. Picking up strays now, Yusuke?" Yusuke grinned and threw an arm over Harry's shoulders.

"Nah, you can blame Kurama for this one." Kurama sighed as Hiei rounded on him.

"You, Kurama? I never would have pictured it."

"I didn't know he was a demon until today. Like you, I was cleverly fooled by that interesting charm he wears."

Harry scowled, wondering if he should be offended that they spoke of him like he wasn't there or amused at the conversation.

"That does that mean I can keep him?"

"Hn. Let's just see if he proves useful first."

"What am I, a puppy?" Harry snapped. He tried not to pout when they smirked at him.

-

Halfway to the castle in the distance, they were ambushed by the Fugaki. Harry, being a bit father from the group, was grabbed first and he went down with a strangled yell as long, clawed fingers latched into his neck, digging into his trachea, and pulled. He shoved his elbow backwards into its chest and the demon released him, allowing him to breathe again, and he quickly stood. He punched the ugly blue-skinned creature hard in the face, causing it to fly back several meters. He drew Amaterasu.

"That hurt, you fucker!" he growled. He shot the demon point-blank in the chest and watched with satisfaction as it blew up in a bright red-orange fireball as he rubbed his sore neck.

"That was actually somewhat impressive," Hiei said in the silence that followed. Immediately after, the demon's fellows threw themselves into the fray.

It didn't last long.

Kurama pulled a flower out of his hair and it transformed into a green whip with deadly sharp thorns which he expertly used to kill the demons focused on him before they could even get near. Hiei was a blur, and the few times he stopped long enough to be seen he was holding a gleaming silver katana. Kuwabara made some sort of energy sword that burst to life between his fingers and he hacked away at the demons, while Yusuke didn't bother with any weapons but his own two fists, hauling away at them with gusto. Harry experimented with Amaterasu, changing her normal bullets into ones infused with demonic energy.

"Didn't these guys learn not to fuck with us the _last_time we were here?" Yusuke complained when the Fugaki retreated, rubbing his ear.

"Apparently not," Hiei said dryly.

"Whatever. Let's just find the bastards so I can kick some ass." Hiei rolled his eyes at the Detective's remark and stalked off.

Yusuke held back a little to walk next to Harry.

"Hey." He looked at the purpling lines around his neck in concern. "You okay?" Harry smiled at him.

"I've had worse. Don't worry about me, I heal fast. The bruises will most likely be gone before we return to the Living World." Yusuke's expression lightened.

"Oh. Good."

It didn't take them much longer to reach the castle. Kuwabara looked at the gaping stone maw somewhat nervously.

"You don't think they rebuilt the Gate of Betrayal, do you?"

"If they did, Hiei can simply reverse the lever again, as last time," Kurama said reassuringly.

"What makes you think I'd save you fools _again_?" Hiei demanded.

"If you wanted us dead, Hiei, you would have already tried to kill us yourself." Hiei scowled but didn't make a response. Harry could see Yusuke's shoulders shaking in suppressed laughter.

"Man, I missed you guys!" Yusuke exclaimed, and led the way through the tunnel.


	17. 16: Ploy

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **The last really short chapter until the epilogue. The rest are all mostly action-packed too. Ish. Somewhat. Oh, just read already. ::pouts:: (Hey, does anyone know where I can get some really good sugar molds and a cheap silpat? ::pulls hair out:: Where's Chef when you need her? ::whinge::)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**16:** Ploy

-

"They know we're here, so why hasn't anyone met us yet?" They had already made it past where the Gate of Betrayal had been and to the stairs. The hall was empty and quiet, which they wouldn't expect from a group of demons who had broken out of prison and most likely didn't want to go back.

"Maybe they're just cowards," said Kuwabara.

"Or _maybe_ they're waiting to ambush us as soon as we let our guard down," Hiei said in response, ever the pessimist.

"Botan did say they didn't have much information other than which prisoners had escaped," said Harry. "Perhaps they came here to leave an obvious trail, and when Spirit World kept their focus here they went elsewhere."

"Nah." Yusuke looked up at the ceiling, his brows furrow. "There's definitely something here. Can't you feel that?"

The group stopped, reaching out their senses.

"Hey, now that you mention it, I do feel a kinda strong reading comin' from Suzaku's old tower." Kuwabara looked up as though he could see through the ceiling just by concentrating.

"I thought you were the one with the strong Spirit Awareness, Kuwabara," Yusuke mocked teasingly.

"I'm better at it that you are, Urameshi!" the human yelled, waving a fist in his face. "Or have you forgotten all those times I found those rogue demons, huh?"

"Doesn't seem to be helping you now, does it?"

"Shaddap!"

"Calm down, gentlemen," said Kurama. "Perhaps our time would be better utilized by finding whoever is producing the energy instead of arguing."

"Yes, _do_ stop acting like children."

"Shut up, shorty!"

"Guys..."

"What did you say, human?!"

"I said shut up, are you deaf now or somethin'?"

"Guys."

"Really, Kuwabara, now isn't the time..."

"Ah, let 'em fight, Kuwabara's just askin' for trouble."

"What was that Urameshi?!"

"GUYS!" An explosion went off above their heads, causing an instant silence. The four Detectives looked at Harry, who held a smoking Amaterasu above his head with an expression of extreme annoyance. "That's better." He holstered the pistol and took a calming breath. "It moved."

"What?" The four stood still, sending ot their senses.

"Hey, what d'you know," Yusuke said in surpise. "It's moving."

The group ran up the stairs and through the room at the top. They'd just gotten to the next hallway when they'd skidded to a stop.

"The hell?" Yusuke growled in frustration. "How the hell is it moving in the other direction?"

"I don't know, but somethin' ain't right, Urameshi."

"You're tellin' me," the Mazoku grumbled. "What's the deal?"

"Perhaps we'll find out in the tower," Kurama reasoned, and the five continued their climb.

By the time they'd reached the re-constructed tower of the Saint Beasts, the energy signal had moved three more times. The tower itself was empty, save for a large gilded mirror upon the wall.

"There's no one here," Hiei said in disgust.

"Then what was that energy signal?"

"I don't know, but I think we're about to find out. Look." Kurama pointed at the mirror, previously blank, which now showed a gloomy room lit only by a single light. A figure sat in an armchair, most of his body hidden in the shadows.

"Welcome, Detectives." His voice was smooth and dark, with an undercurrent of danger. "I trust you've had an interesting journey." They glared at the screen, even though the man obviously couldn't see them. "I left this recording for you to activate upon the presence of unfamiliar energy within the room you now reside in."

"Damnit," Yusuke cursed softly. "We came all this way for nuthin'."

"By now you have realized that the Saint Beasts' castle is empty. It has been for a while now, in fact. I made sure to leave just enough demonic energy within this recording mirror to draw yours, and Spirit World's, attention before I took my new subordinates to a different location."

"Told you so." Harry gave them a smug look and Yusuke cuffed him on the back of his head.

"This isn't a trap, as you're doubtlessly thinking. It is merely a warning. I have paid close attention to the activities of your team, Yusuke Urameshi, and I have to say that I am impressed. However, you are a threat to my plans and I cannot allow that." Yusuke snarled softly. "Unlike most demons, I am not a fool and will not reveal my plans to you at this time. I will give you a clue, however. Something special will be happening in two weeks time. If you cannot figure it out within that time-frame, my dear Detective, you and your friends will die."

A sinister smirk curled on the edges of his lips.

"Let's play a game, shall we?"


	18. 17: Deadly Intentions

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **I _was _originally planning to cut this chapter in two and leave with a cliffhanger, but each would have been too short for my tastes and I was too lazy to come up with a second chapter title... so I was nice. Now, say, "Thank you, Phee-chan, for being too lazy to bother being creative." :}

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**17:** Deadly Intentions

-

"Seriously, are all 'bad guys' really that dramatic?" Harry shook his head in exasperation. "_'Let's play a game,'_" he mocked. "Honestly."

"Aw, come on Harry." Yusuke grinned, tucking his hands behind his head as they made their way back to the portal. "You never know, it might be fun."

"Stop being stupid, Urameshi," Kuwabara growled, throwing a punch that the Detective easily dodged. "The world's on the line."

"When isn't it?" Yusuke snorted. "If you ask me the guy's just full of crap."

"Still, it is concerning how easily he managed to fool us all," said Kurama.

"What kinda clue is 'two weeks' anyway?" Kuwabara placed his fists on his hips. "That don't help any."

"On the contrary. It gives us a deadline to work with."

"Yeah, I guess so."

They reached the portal and stood looking at each other for a minute or two.

"Well, there's no use sticking around here." Hiei glared ad them and jumped back through the portal.

"The man's got a point." Yusuke shrugged and followed him through, the other three coming after moments later.

-

"What do you mean the place was empty?" Botan stared at them in horror. "You mean all this time we were focusing in the _wrong place_?!" Yusuke nodded.

"That's what I said." Botan began to pace, thinking frantically.

"Koenma is _not_ going to like this," she said finally. "I have to get back to Spirit World and inform him immediately. You boys stay together so I can find you in a hurry, will you?" She materialized her oar and hopped on, disappearing before they could speak.

"Wonderful," Hiei muttered. "Once again, I'm stuck in the Human World."

"You didn't have to agree to the mission, you know," Kurama reminded him. Hiei gave him a dirty look.

"Who's going to tell Genkai she'll be having three more guests for an unknown amount of time?" Harry asked, digging around in his pockets. The other four boys looked at each other blankly before three eyes turned to Kurama. He sighed.

"I suppose I will. I shall have to call my mother anyway." He left for the house. Hiei gave the rest of them a glare before disappearing.

"Don't go too far!" Yusuke yelled after him. He didn't receive a response. Harry gave a sound of triumph as he took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and quickly tapped one out of the box. "You're still a little purple."

Harry gave Yusuke a startled look before remembering that he hadn't yet put his charm back on. Instead of answering he went to the pond, leaning over the rocks to look at his reflection. The purple tattoos had survived the trip back to Living World.

"It could be a genetic trait I didn't know about." He took a long drag of his cigarette and straitened, digging in his pockets for the charm. "Perhaps the influence of Demon World's energy brought them to the surface, but I will never know for sure unless I learn from whom my _Atavism_ blood came from." Holding the cigarette between his teeth, he clasped the charm around his neck again.

He fell screaming to his knees a moment later. He could feel the magic in the charm sparking, fighting desperately against his demonic energy. The two powers battled against and underneath his skin, warring endlessly. He felt as though he was being electrocuted, burned, and asphyxiated all at once; black spots danced in front of his eyes. It felt worse than the Cruciatus Curse, worse than whatever spell Dumeldore had used on him that one time he'd been cornered and feared he'd been caught for good, barely managing somehow to escape with his life. Something warm and metallic flowed down his throat and he realized hazily that he'd bitten through his tongue.

Someone yelled his name as though from a distance and he welcomed the darkness as he fell.

-

He felt sore. His head throbbed and his throat was dry and scratchy and it was painful to swallow. His limbs tingled and experimentally he tried to move his hand, but the movement caused a wave of agony to shoot up his arm. He opened his eyes slowly, experience telling him that doing so too fast would be both painful and blinding, and his head was already hurting enough.

It was dark save for one lit candelabra, which he was thankful for. He figured he'd been out for at least a few hours, seeing as it had been mid-afternoon when he and the others had returned from Demon World. He sighed softly, but even that hurt to do and he winced. He was in his room, he noted as he looked around. Yusuke's sleeping mat was ruffled, blanket piled haphazardly. Two other mats were on the opposite side of the room, Kuwabara's and Kurama's most likely. He briefly wondered why there wasn't a third for Hiei, but didn't dwell on it.

The door slid open and he moved his head slowly to look at it, meeting Yukina's startled red eyes.

"Harry," she gasped, nearly dropping the porcelain bowl in her hands. She hurried to his side, her eyes wet, and put it down next to his head. "Oh, thank goodness. Now, you mustn't try to speak. You larynx was badly damaged and speaking now would be incredibly painful. We were so worried," she ended in a whisper. She sniffled and a few tears fell down her cheeks and fell to the ground with soft pitters as they turned into jewels. "You nearly scared Yusuke half to death." Her eyes widened. "Oh! Yusuke! He'll want to know you're awake." She stood quickly. "I'll be right back." She hurried from the room.

Harry's mind churned as he thought about her reaction, much stronger than he thought it should be. He hadn't been out for that long, had he?

Yukina returned less than a minute later with Yusuke in tow, whose eyes lit with relief upon seeing him awake. The Detective sat next to him on the floor, hands clenching his pant legs as though to hold himself back from grabbing him. Kuwabara and Kurama came through the door a moment later, followed by Genkai. The three sat at his feet and Yukina sat herself on his other side, wetting a small rag in the bowl which she used to dab his face gently with warm water.

"Welcome back, Harry," Yusuke said finally. Harry opened his mouth to ask him how long he'd been out and what had happened, but his throat clogged before the words could escape and he coughed, his body spasming in pain. "Don't speak, stupid," Yusuke admonished gently, placing a gentle hand on his chest to hold him down, his face creased with worry. "You've been out for four days, you know, you're bound to be dehydrated. And your throat was hurt pretty bad, too."

Harry's eyes widened. _Four days_?!

"We weren't sure you'd make it," said Kuwabara. "You scared us pretty bad, you know." Harry looked at him for a moment before giving Yusuke a narrow-eyed look in demand for an explanation.

"It was the choker. As soon as you put it back on it started glowing and sparking and you just collapsed. You were screaming really loudly before your voice gave and you passed out, but you were still seizing. We couldn't get it off you. Kuwabara got Genkai and she did something funny to get it off and you went still. You... you almost died." Yusuke looked away from him then, his knuckles white against the blue of his jeans.

"After Kuwabara and the dimwit brought you back in here, I examined it," said Genkai, looking at him with solemn eyes. "There was an extra energy signal attached to the charm, one that wasn't there before."

"It was similar to the energy on the mirror." Kurama leaned forward slightly as he spoke. "While we were distracted by its message it must have latched onto the charm and pervaded the spells upon it. However, it couldn't have done that without specific knowledge of the power of the spells, or else it would have been rebuffed."

"Koenma was able to track down the maker of your necklace," Genkai continued. "He was murdered nearly two years ago, but the soul has long since passed on and there were no records as to who did it." '_But we can suspect_,' was unspoken.

He looked at them all, the question clear in his eyes.

"It was supposed to kill you," said Yusuke. "It nearly succeeded, but your demon energy was fighting off the perversion and lasted long enough for Genkai to take it off. There's only one way that bastard could have known, or suspected you would be with me on that mission. We think..." he trailed off, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"Only ten other people knew that both you and Yusuke were here." Harry's heart sank and for a moment he couldn't breathe. Genkai met his eyes squarely. "We believe the demons Yusuke and his team were sent to capture are working with the wizards."


	19. 18: Slow Recovery

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **I'm bored. Someone IM me. ::pokes::

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**18:** Slow Recovery

-

His mind blanked.

Albus Dumbledore, self-proclaimed destroyer of all things dark and evil, teaming up with _demons_? Creatures that he despised so much he would spend three years and countless amounts of manpower just to kill one half-breed? It was impossible.

And yet...

How else would their mysterious enemy have known there was a slight chance Harry would have been with Yusuke that day? Who else would have had the knowledge to kill the man he'd paid to make the choker for its secrets? Only one person knew he'd even gone to Alberton, and only two others would have had the ability to sneak into her mind for the information and one of them worked loyally for the other and hated him with a passion to rival Dumbledore's hatred of the Dark.

It had to be true. There was no other way.

"I'm sorry," Yusuke murmured suddenly. Harry looked at him in confusion. The other half-demon had his eyes tightly shut and his teeth clenched. "If I'd stayed inside like Genkai wanted us to, they wouldn't have known that we'd met."

"Don't... be stupid," Harry rasped. He coughed and shook again. Yukina touched the bowl gently and froze it, turning the water within cold. She re-wet the rag and carefully dripped the cool water into his mouth. It worked fabulously to sooth his throat. She did it several more times and Harry gave her a grateful look.

"Stop talking," Yusuke demanded. "You wanna be mute?" Harry shook his head stubbornly, glaring at him.

"Not your fault." His voice was barely above a whisper, but the others could clearly hear him. "Dumbledore... hates me. He spent a long... time trying to end my... life. Don't know... what he's thinking... teaming up with this guy, but... if you think for one minute... that this is your fault, then... Kuwabara's right. You... _are _a moron." Yusuke cracked a grin finally, albeit a weak one that didn't reach his eyes.

"That so. Then I should probably plan for the end of the world."

"Good. Now shut up. I wanna... go back to sleep."

"Okay, Harry." That was the last thing he heard.

-

It took another three days for Harry to recover, but his voice stayed no higher than a whisper. Yukina wouldn't let him out of her sight for a minute once he was able to walk around again and absolutely refused to let him do anything more than sit in the kitchen while she worked. Genkai remained the same and worked him mercilessly, but he could tell Yusuke wasn't putting his all into their spars. Harry was both upset and gladdened by this; upset that Yusuke was still so obviously bothered by his near brush with death but happy that he wouldn't kill himself before he could even fully recover.

A week and two days after their trip to Demon World, Hiei accused Yusuke of being soft and demanded that Harry spar with him. The upside with this is that his eyes could now better make out his speedy movement, but the downside was that Yusuke nearly pummeled Hiei when he came within centimeters of taking Harry's head off when he faltered in a step. Harry was able to calm him down but it took a while.

Kuwabara and Kurama left briefly to the city for an afternoon to gather a few of their things and to shop for groceries for Yukina, and Harry was pleasantly surprised at the gift of cigarettes and chocolate they'd brought back for him. They also bought him a new choker, as the other one had been destroyed. The new one was made of a dark red leather with the Japanese kanji for strength as its charm. Harry had stared at it for several long moments before thanking them and putting it on.

Harry didn't know what spells had gone into his old choker to hide his tattoos and demon energy, and he didn't want to take the risk of another perversion of the spells. Genkai assured him that it couldn't happen again to an ordinary necklace, and he would be able to feel and counter any attempts if he was wearing it if they tried again. He spent his free time trying to will the marks to hide, but was so far unsuccessful. The purple and silver sheen he could hide for a short amount of time and took a great deal of his energy and concentration, but try as he might the red remained in plain view. He gave it up as a lost cause.

For a change of pace he gave Puu a bath. The demon phoenix was unusually gentle with him and had forgone his usual pre-bath chase in favor of cooing over Harry and pulling gently at his hair like Hedwig used to do. A pang went through him as the remembrance of his once constant companion. He'd left her behind with Hagrid as she would have been too distinctive for him to take her with him and only give the wizards an easier target to hurt him with. He often wondered how she was doing, whether she missed him as much as he missed her, but he locked it in the back of his mind.

"Stop that," Harry whispered, tugging his hair from Puu's beak. "Cheer up, would you? As you can clearly see I'm just fine. No need to turn into a mother hen or anything." Puu gave him a disbelieving look and chirped. Harry sighed in resignation. "Very well, have it your way."

Someone chuckled behind him and Harry turned his head to look at Kurama. The fox demon walked forward to pet Puu gently for a moment.

"It's remarkable how closely Puu mirrors Yusuke," he said. "He's better than a mood ring." Harry laughed, no louder than a gust of wind. "They didn't rest well while you were unconscious. None of us did, really. You may be new to us, but you really do feel like family. I can say for certain that we would all be greatly saddened if anything happened to you. Hiei as well, even if only because the rest of us were upset." Harry swallowed and turned his concentration to his brushing of Puu's feathers.

"I thought I'd left my chance for family behind in Britain." His hand slowed. He stared, unseeing at the bright plumage beneath his fingers. "I left everyone. My friends, my mentor, my pseudo uncle. They couldn't handle what I was. I hate hiding. I hate running. I'm tired of having to fight for my freedom." He scratched Puu gently behind his ears, smiling softly as he purred. "It's nice to have somewhere to belong."

-

Botan showed up three days before the end of the two-week deadline, bursting through the door in the middle of breakfast.

"We found them!" she announced cheerfully, eyes bright. "Someone reported unusual energy in an abandoned mansion just on the outskirts of the city. All this time and they were so close by!" She set a map of the area on the quickly cleared table. "Just off the edge of the river, here. We sent an ogre to sneak a look around and he reported sighting many strange people going in and out of the house at odd hours. Once he spotted one of the escapees he immediately came back. This is definitely the place!"

Yusuke stood, cracking his knuckles with a dark look in his eyes and a fierce sharp-toothed grin.

"Then let's go. I got a bone to pick."


	20. 19: Invasion

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **Wow... I love how you guys automatically assume Dumble's is the one siding with the demons. Who knows? You may be right. Just remember that I said "the wizards", but I didn't specify which ones. ~.^

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**19:** Invasion

-

"You are not leaving me behind!" Harry glared at his determined and mulish sparring mate. Yusuke had told him to stay at the temple with Genkai. He used the absence of the charms that hid his aura as an excuse which Harry immediately claimed as bullshit. "Even with the charm they would be able to find me now that they know where I am. If there really are wizards involved, you need someone there who knows how to break their enchantments. I may not be able to talk loudly, Yusuke, but I can still fight."

"He's right, Urameshi. We need him if those weird stick-using guys come back." Yusuke shot Kuwabara a dirty look.

"I know where you're going. You leave me behind and I'll just follow you." They stared at each other, both unwilling to budge.

"Fine!" Yusuke threw his arms up and stomped from the room. Harry sent a smug look at his back.

"Don't be too upset with him," said Kurama. "He's just worried about you."

"He knows I've recovered. The only thing left is my voice, and Yukina thinks it should return in a few days. He's just being a baby."

"Perhaps." Kurama smiled, as though he knew something Harry didn't. Harry narrowed his eyes at him in suspicion.

"What are you hiding?"

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" Harry didn't believe that wide-eyed innocent look for a minute.

"Alright. Keep your secrets. Now lets hurry up and get the dumbass before he changes his mind and starts to argue again."

Kurama laughed.

-

They left at sundown. It took an hour to reach the outskirts of the city and another twenty minutes to find the mansion. It looked like it fell out of an old horror movie, complete with peeling paint and dark, warped wood. There were even cobwebs.

"Wow," Harry whispered. "They really are that dramatic." Kuwabara snickered.

"You get used to it."

"Doubtful."

"Will you two shut up?" Hiei hissed.

"Sorry," they whispered back in unison.

They laid in wait for almost fifteen minutes before anything happened. A man appeared out of nowhere with a soft pop and hurried up the steps. He looked around surreptitiously before knocking on the door. He was admitted a moment later. Harry narrowed his eyes.

"I don't recognize him. Definitely a wizard, though."

"We're definitely in the right place then," said Yusuke, who had refused to speak almost the entire way there. "I think it's time to crash the party. I call the front door."

"But I wanted the front door," Kuwabara whined. Yusuke glared at him and he moved to sneak around to the back with a grumble.

"I'll work on the weeds and vines growing around the house to create traps for anyone who tries to run," Kurama offered. Hiei took off without a word, leaving Yusuke with Harry. Harry glared at him before he could speak.

"Don't even think about telling me to stay here, or I'll go after you next." Yusuke sighed.

"Okay, I get it. Come on."

The two flitted to the steps of the house silently, eyes peeled carefully for any who might be keeping a guarded look outside. They couldn't see or sense anyone, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Yusuke bypassed the squeaky stairs by jumping onto the porch from the bottom and crouched next to the door. Harry stroked Amaterasu with a feathered touch, sending a thought into the pistol. A rune gleamed, unnoticed, before two quick bullets were fired noiselessly to either side of the steps, embedding into the soil with soft thwacks. A small blue shield rose waist-high to an average human and faded into invisibility. It was still there; it would also cause quite a bit of trouble were anyone to pass it. Two more shots, to each side of the house proper, rose another blue shield, rising like a dome to encase the entire mansion.

Harry jumped onto the porch to the opposite side of the door and nodded his readiness. Yusuke grinned in answer.

Initial senses indicated that the first floor of the three-story mansion was empty but for a few guards. Higher energy levels were present on the second floor, but the strongest levels were higher up. They could feel Hiei waiting in the shadows up the upper wing, and Kuwabara was already inside, waiting near the back. The plant life around the house began to tremble and grow, thanks to Kurama's influence, and they used this as their cue.

Without bothering to worry about subtlety, Yusuke kicked the door in. It flew across the room to crash loudly into an opposite wall, the force of its impact shaking the house. From the sound of it, a luckless demon had been caught in its flight, and Harry grimaced when he noticed that the splinters of the door pinned it to the wall through its neck and chest. Three other demons stood still in shock, staring at their dead comrade and apparently not registering the Spirit Detective who had walked in through the now portal-less doorway.

"Aww. You guys are having a party and you didn't invite me? I'm hurt!"

Harry, still on the porch, felt like smacking his face. Or Yusuke's.

"Invaders!" screamed a green-skinned, horned demon.

The three guard demons rushed at the Detective with yells of outrage at the same time that a stampeding of feet and shouts of alarm heralded more enemies from the next level. Yusuke was able to detach the three original guards with ease, knocking one through a wall, and impaling another on the spike that still stuck out of the chest of the first.

Suddenly, the room was filled with demons of all kinds. Harry quickly shot four in rapid succession, not bothering to aim anywhere specific, and they burst into balls of flame. He dodged the claws of a fifth quickly, acrid steam hissing from its razor-charm nails, and shot it point-blank in the head. He registered Kuwabara appearing in the fray, his golden energy sword hacking through demon after demon, and Yusuke's Spirit Gun dispatched a good quarter of the remaining in one shot, blinding the room momentarily with its brilliance. A sudden crash and tinkling of glass from upstairs told Harry that Hiei had joined the fight on the second floor, compounded by the lack of fresh demons trooping down the stairs.

"These are only the grunts," Harry said in the calmness after battle. Blood and ichor stained the floors, the walls scorched by fire and riddled with holes where demons had been thrown through or into. "C-level at best."

"Right." Kuwabara held his sword at the ready, eyes scanning the room for lurkers waiting in the shadows to ambush. "I can feel the tougher guys upstairs."

"Well, we better not let Hiei have all the fun," said Yusuke, already running up the staircase. Harry waited until Kuwabara had joined the half-demon on the stairs before he set another trap at the bottom for runners. He followed them up.


	21. 20: Rooms of Time

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **Um... Nope, nothing to say.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**20:** Rooms of Time

-

Harry's estimation of Hiei's position was correct. He was surrounded by bodies and severed pieces of dead grunt demons on the second floor, but was also cornered. Five wizards stood at the end of the wide hall, one maintaining a shield that was most likely meant for energy projectiles, the other four shooting spell after spell in rapid succession. Hiei dodged the beams of light with ease, but they came so rapidly and randomly that every step forward he took was quickly returned with a barrage of light that forced him to take it back. Harry slashed Amaterasu in a wide arch, creating a rounded dome that deflected the spells onto the walls and ceiling.

"Let me guess," said Hiei derisively, blurring to a stop next to the Detective. "You were playing again?" Yusuke laughed, placing his hands behind his head with a cocky grin.

"You know me well, my friend. Though I wasn't expecting that many in one house. This place is big, sure, but not _that_ big."

"Spacial Configuration," Harry said. Receiving blank looks from the other three, he elaborated. "A series of spells used on objects that make the inside a lot bigger than the outside. With proper utilization, a single-man tent could become a small house large enough for six, including a kitchen, bathroom, and living room. However, it would still look an ordinary, small tent on the outside. It's also used for trunks, cars boots, and bedrooms."

"I know I'm new to the whole 'magic is real' thing, but that's a little extreme even for me," said Kuwabara.

"Yes, wizards are too flashy for their own good at times." A red light slipped through the shield, leaving a trail of static as it passed by his face. Harry turned his head minutely to the side.

Something warm trickled down his cheek. Almost carelessly, he lifted a hand and wiped it away, looking at the red liquid left on his fingertips. He ignored the sting on his cheekbone, looking up at the enraged wizards with narrow eyes.

"A centimeter closer and that would have hit my eye." Eyes still on the five men before him, he licked the blood from his fingertips. "I never would have expected such _respectable_ wizards to resort to such dark magic," Harry whispered mockingly. The mens' faces went red and one stepped forward.

"It's worth it to get rid of scum like you," the man spat.

"Really." Light glinted off metal and suddenly the man holding the shield collapsed, grabbing his throat. Blood spurted from beneath his fingertips, ragged gurgles escaping him before he went still. "At least I don't _miss_."

The men screamed in fury and charged head-on.

Yusuke and Hiei darted past him and the dome shield Harry created shattered. The first wizard to reach the duo received a punch to the chest, the cracking of ribs loud in the hall. The man's eyes bulged for a moment before he flew back, crashing into the wall. The second screamed as a sharp katana sliced his wand-arm cleanly from his body as he raised it to shoot off a spell. A kick to the chin sent him rolling down the hall next to his dead comrade. He huddled in a ball, whimpering and clutching at the stub of his shoulder, crimson fluid staining his blue robes. The third and forth met similar fates, one receiving a devastating blow to his spine, the other the amputation of a leg.

"We don't have time for you," Hiei said apathetically, already leading the way to the next staircase.

The four quickly ascended, leaving the dead and injured wizards behind them.

-

Floor three was empty of life. Doors lined the hall by the dozens, each one emitting a strong demonic energy from behind it.

"This seems familiar," Yusuke muttered sarcastically.

"Indeed." The four turned quickly, weapons and fists raised. Kurama raised his hands placating, a small smile teasing his lips. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Damn it, Kurama, don't do that," Kuwabara shouted.

"My apologies, Kuwabara. I see you four made quick work of the demons on the first two levels."

"They were easy." Yusuke shrugged uncaring.

"They were most likely sent to slow us down," said Hiei. "They're obviously planning something."

"They've definitely had time to mount a defense. If you hadn't noticed, we're being watched." Harry pointed to a small mirror in the corner of the stairway, small enough to be easily overlooked. As they looked, they noticed more, lined up along the hall. "I can feel the spellwork on them. Monitoring and recording charms, simple but as effective as a security camera."

"Doesn't matter if they know we're here or not," Yusuke said. He pointed a finger at the mirror, smirking into its surface. "As long as they know we're comin' to kick their ass."

"So," said Kurama, eyeing the closed doors along the walls. "'Musical Doors', anyone?"

-

Door number one seemed to open to an empty room - empty, that is, until they were attacked by a swift, invisible demon. It didn't take them long to notice a pattern to its attacks or the faint ripple in the air as its body adjusted to a new camouflage. Kurama's Rose Whip sliced it cleanly from shoulder to waist and they moved on. Door number two held a small group of lizard-like demons with sharp claws and teeth, however Kuwabara made quick work of them. Door three hid an indoor swamp, door four a desert, and door five a small forest. Each consecutive door held stronger and stronger demons.

"This is becoming annoying," growled Hiei after the thirteenth door. "I say we just skip to the end and get this over with. It's obvious the leader will be behind the last door."

"We can't." Harry took a cloth from his pocket and wiped away a smear of blood on Amaterasu's barrel. "While you were fighting the wind demon in the last room, I tried to open the next. It was locked. Fifteen and sixteen were the same, so I''m going to assume the rest are as well. The doors will only unlock once the previous room has been defeated; even Amaterasu couldn't force the door open."

"They're trying to wear us down it sounds like," said Yusuke. Hiei sneered.

"Then they need to send bigger fish than mere guppies. I'm starting to get bored."

Harry shook his head with a frown. He paced back and forth in front of the next door, thinking furiously.

"You're thinking it too, then," said Kurama, watching. The whip coiled around his arm glowed and shrank back into a rose which he returned to his hair. Harry stood still and looked at him. He nodded slowly. Kuwabara looked between them in confusion, letting his energy sword dissipate.

"What? What are you guys thinking?" Harry sighed.

"I think they're trying to buy time. I noticed something... _interesting _while you four were busy." He held his unarmed hand palm-up in the air before him, fingers curled slightly inward. A red glow gathered in his palm, whisps of crimson twirling in the air. His green eyes took on an eerie glow. "_Tempus_." The red energy tendrils lifted higher into the air and brightened, taking on the form of words and numbers, spelling out the time and date.

"Wait, it's already been six hours?" Yusuke said, staring at the phantom clock in surprise.

"Look _closer_, moron," Hiei snapped. He pointed up. "Somehow, we've been here a _day _and six hours." Kuwabara's jaw dropped.

"No way! How's that possible? Shouldn't we be like, exhausted or something?"

Kurama shook his head, frowning at the clock in thought.

"Not neccessarily. They must have someone on their side whose power is specific to the manipulation of time. Time passes regularly in the hall, but while we are in each room it moves much slower. Harry, how long did you wait for us in the hall while we were within room thirteen?" Harry frowned in thought.

"Nearly two hours. I couldn't get in once the door was closed. The only rooms I could enter were the ones we already defeated, which I explored more thoroughly while I waited."

"Then my assumption must be close. We were only in the room for perhaps twenty minutes, to us at least." His leafy green eyes looked thoughtfully at the doors. "For every six minutes that passes here in the hall, only one minute passes in the rooms. We have twelve more doors to get through; even if we only spent twenty minutes within each, it would still be another full day before we completed them all."

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Kuwabara materialized his sword. "Let's get going!"

"It's not that simple, Kuwabara," Harry whispered with a frown. "Look closely at the date. According to the clock, we have less than thirty hours before the two-week deadline is up - and we still have no idea what their plan is."

"So if each room keeps getting harder and harder," Yusuke said slowly, "it'll take us longer and longer to defeat them, meaning more time would have passed in the "real" world."

"And we could very well end up overshooting our deadline and be too late to stop whatever destruction they have planned."

Yusuke looked up, a determined glint in his eyes.

"Then we better make sure each room takes us twenty minutes or less to finish."


	22. 21: Rando Returns

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **About the shortness... my bad? Must've miscounted. Sorry. :)

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**21: **Rando Returns

-

With the five of them working together to dispatch each room as quickly as possible, the next seven rooms were defeated in almost record time. They were able to get through them with only sixteen hours passing in real time. Door twenty was a bit harder; the water demons within had amazing regenerative powers that made them almost impossible to hurt. It was Kuwabara who came up with the way to kill them from a seemingly random complaint of having wet clothes.

"Hey, you guys think this place has a laundry room?" he said, pausing for a moment as the water demon he was fighting took the time to pull itself back together. "I hate fighting in wet clothes. It makes me all itchy."

"Don't be stupid, Kuwabara," Yusuke said, a roundhouse kick slicing through his own. "I don't think the demons here have any use for a dryer."

Harry's eyes widened.

"That's it! Great idea gentlemen." They looked at him in confusion.

"What?" they said almost in unison.

"All of you get behind me." He took aim with Amaterasu at the pond in the middle of the floor from which the demons seemed to draw their powers. "I am about to do something very stupid."

"Where have I heard that before," Hiei muttered sarcastically. Nevertheless, he joined Kurama and the other two to stand behind the ex-wizard. The water demons cackled in a fit of superiority.

"You think a mere bullet will stop us, little halfling?" they crooned mockingly. "The Master was right to speak of your foolishness."

"I have to agree with Kuwabara," he answered them calmly. "I hate being wet. _Fiendfyre: Second Stage_!" He pulled the trigger.

It was a little surreal to see such a huge, raging inferno burst from the barrel of such a small (in comparison) pistol. From the roaring golden-red flames formed giant eagles, large serpents, and a towering creature with a strange, misshapen body that had a lion's head, hoofed feet, and a scaled tail. The creatures shrieked and charged the pond and demons, steam and screaming filling the room as they were completely destroyed. Once their enemy was gone, the creatures turned upon everything else in the room. The largest creature turned its fiery head to look at the group of five behind it.

"And that would be our cue to go," Harry said in a rush. "Go. _Now_."

The creature shrieked and they quickly fled out the door.

"What the hell was that?" Yusuke said once they were in the hall. He frowned at the state of his shirt, now dirty with soot atop the dried blood stains.

"Fiendfyre." Harry winced as the door rattled but held. "One of the strongest spells in a wizard's arsenal. Stage one burns like regular fire, only more potent; it turns everything it touches to ash. Stage two creates creature constructs that go after specific targets. However, it is harder to control and when it has destroyed its original target, it will go after anything else it can - even, if possible, its creator."

"How did you know it would not destroy the door?" Kurama asked, looking thoughtfully at the fully intact door.

"I didn't." Four pairs of eyes looked at him incredulously.

"What?!" Kuwabara raised a fist. "You mean to tell us that you let that thing loose and knew there was a chance it would probably kill us?!"

"Partly." He shrugged. "My studies of it indicated that once its source was gone it would burn out. I figured that since the rooms existed on a different time wavelength, once the door was closed behind it the source - Amaterasu - would be effectively cut off from the fire, thus it would loose power and burn out."

He eyed their blank, disbelieving looks and shrugged again.

"I did tell you I was going to do something stupid."

Yusuke laughed.

-

Room twenty had cost them nearly two hours of real time. They made up for it in room twenty-one, Hiei neatly slicing a rather stupid B-class demon into several pieces, but room twenty-two gave them another pause. The room held a familiar ghostly swampland, much like the Hill of Restless Souls contained in Genkai's land.

"I got a bad feeling about this, Urameshi," Kuwabara said lowly, staring around the configured room in unease. "I didn't like being in this place the first time we were here."

"Yeah, me either. At least we don't have to worry about some stupid psychic-killing demon with a fish fetish." Yusuke peeled his shirt from his chest with a grumble, wringing out one of the ends.

"Uh, I wouldn't be too sure about that, Urameshi." Kuwabara gripped his spirit sword tighter. "That energy kinda feels familiar. Creepy familiar, y'know?"

"We're wasting time," Hiei snapped. "This demon better stop being a coward or I'm going to get testy."

"Coward, am I?" Yusuke and Kuwabara stiffened at the recognizable drawl, turning to it's source with angry scowls. The demon materialized from the mist, dark red hair moving in an unfelt wind. Thin red eyes stared at them malevolently, gray arms with black markings like spider legs crossed over his chest and face. "Hello, Detective. It's been a long time."

"Rando." Yusuke spat into the dirt, wiping his mouth with a faint smirk. "Figures you'd be part of the jail break. Look at you, all grown up now. Hope you didn't run into any rats while you were in prison, they might've eaten you for dinner." The demon growled, a clawed hand held out in front of him glowing as he gathered power.

"I almost forgot. I need to pay you back for that little trick of yours. Or are you still winning by sheer dumb luck?"

"Heh." Yusuke stepped forward and slipped into a battle stance. He began to gather his own energy. A red glow engulfed him, intricate blue markings appearing on his skin, spilling down his cheeks and shoulders and across his chest. "Nah, I've learned a few things since we last fought."

"The marks of the Mazoku. You have moved up in the world, haven't you?" Rando slipped into a stance of his own. "You ready to die, half breed?"

"I believe that's my line." Yusuke smirked. "There's no ferry girl holding me back this time, after all. Bring it on, bitch."


	23. 22: Showing Off

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **::laughs nervously:: ::hides::

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**22: **Showing Off

-

It was the hottest thing Harry had ever seen.

Granted, Yusuke probably shouldn't be playing with his opponent while they were on a time-schedule, but still. Rando was clearly out of his league, and they could all tell. The Mazoku was having fun. Whereas last time he'd been scared shitless and it'd taken Kuwabara's spirit taunting him along with a healthy dose of luck to win, Yusuke now outmatched and outclassed his opponent in all ways, and it showed. He wasn't even breathing hard yet and Rando was already struggling.

Harry paid less attention to the fight than he did Yusuke, taking in the cocky grin and speed-of-light movements; the feral gleam in his eyes only a demon could possess, taking enjoyment from the suffering and powerlessness of his enemy. He felt something in him respond to that, letting the Mazoku's power wash over him and caress his skin, causing his chest to rumble silently in satisfaction. He hadn't felt his demon this clearly in months, and not at this level.

Rando flew back, crashing into one of the invisible walls and fell to the ground with a groan. Yusuke looked over his shoulder at the group with a smirk, and Harry took the reprieve to glance at his team mates. Kuwabara looked gobsmacked, staring at the Mazoku in shock. Hiei looked bored and annoyed, something Harry was coming to find was a usual look for him, and Kurama... Kurama was smiling knowingly at the scene, the same little smile he'd had at the temple during his and Yusuke's argument.

Harry looked back at Yusuke, meeting the red-tinged cinnamon orbs briefly before the halfling turned back to his fight and threw himself at his now standing opponent, who had used the brief interlude to power up an attack of his own. Fireballs flew and Yusuke dodged them theatrically, letting them get just close enough that Rando smirked triumphantly, before dodging to the side to let them crash into a wall. Harry came upon a realization then as the Mazoku glanced back again briefly before committing again to his fight.

Yusuke was _showing off_.

For _him_.

_Now _things were interesting.

-

Yusuke's Mazoku marks faded as he landed. Rando was on his back across the room and it didn't look like he'd be getting back up any time soon.

"Im...possible," the demon gasped, his head lifting to look at the Detective in disbelief. "There's no way... you could have gotten this strong. You were nothing...."

"Even nothings grow up," Yusuke responded. His finger glowed as he powered up his Spirit Gun, pointing it at the grey-skinned demon. "Any last words?" Rando's glare was full of hatred as he stared at the halfling silently. "Alright. Have it your way."

The blast wasn't even half of its potential power, lighting the room in a burst of blue. Rando's scream tapered out as it faded. There was nothing left of him.

"Well, that was actually kinda fun," the Detective chuckled, placing his hands behind his head as he made his way back to his team. "I'm still a little energized. I'll take the next guy too." Harry felt his marks thrum in response to Yusuke's care-free words and they piled into the hallway for the next room. He was feeling a little energized himself after that display and hoped the room had more than one demon so he could join in.

Room twenty-three, unfortunately, held only one demon, however that demon was also a familiar face to Yusuke. He was stronger than Rando, as the ascending order had indicated, but he wasn't strong enough to beat a determined group of demons and one human psychic, even with his powers of replication. Each team member ended up having to fight a clone of their own, a power reminiscent of Suzaku's technique. However, whereas Suzaku could make seven clones, this demon could only make five.

Harry was not happy with this fight. Somehow, the demon was able to deflect Amaterasu's attacks, forcing Harry to sheath her and fight with his demon powers. He and Genkai hadn't focused much on those during their training, more concerned with getting his melee abilities to a higher level. Still, with the tricks he'd learned and taught himself while fighting to survive, he was on pretty much even ground with the clone. Training with Yusuke had made things simpler. By watching him, Harry learned that the other teen pretty much made things up as he went, and Harry had adopted that style of combat. Being unpredictable was a boon in fight, one he wasn't willing to pass up.

Gathering his energy in one hand, Harry prepared one of his oldest tricks. He'd learned, by accident, that the venom of the Basilisk he'd slain in his second year had never been destroyed by the phoenix tears, only stabilized. He'd found that if he gathered his energy into his hands he could use the venom, altered by his demon blood into a highly acidic compound. It gathered at the tip of his clawed hands and was released through his nails. It would harm even him if it got into an open wound, but not nearly as much as it would harm his opponent. The acid could burn through anything - clothes, skin, even stone.

He jumped out of the way of his opponent's blast with a snarl, feeling the familiar tingle in the tips of his fingers that told him the acid venom was ready. He waited for an opening then darted forward, slashing his claws across the demon's face. The demon howled in pain, clawing at it's face as the acid ate through tissue and bone, its eyes melting from the substance eating its way through its skull. His opponent fell, twitching, as the acid finally ate into its brain and fell still.

Harry panted and looked to see how the others were doing. Hiei was done and was using part of the demon's shirt to clean his sword. Likewise, Kurama was watching his own clone intently as one of his plants ate it alive. Kuwabara gave a victory yell as he was finally able to spear his demon clone on his sword, cutting it neatly in half. Yusuke... was watching him from where he sat on the dead original, an unreadable expression in his eyes as he took in Harry's disheveled appearance.

Harry shivered.

The room cleared as the spell on it wore away with their victory, turning it back into its original appearance. In the hall, Harry called up another Tempus.

They had less than seven hours left before the deadline. Two more doors. Little more than half an hour for each room.

They could only pray they would make it in time.


	24. 23: Boobytrap

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **Poor Harry. I just keep beating him up.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**23: **Boobytrap

-

They were fortunate in that room twenty four only took them twenty minutes to complete. That left them with the last room and just under an hour to complete it in. The team exchanged looks and they opened the door.

The room was normal, containing nothing more than dusty walls and ragged furniture. It was also empty.

"We came all this way for _this_?" Hiei spat in disgust.

"Perhaps what we are looking for is up the stairs." Kurama pointed to a cleverly concealed staircase, hidden in the gloom of the room.

"Might as well," Harry muttered. He frowned at the acid burns on his coat sleeve; he'd have to buy a new one. His throat was itching uncomfortably as well, which he took as a good sign that his voice was returning.

Yusuke lead the way to the stairs with a frown of annoyance. "What's with all the damned stairs?" he complained. He made to begin climbing. Harry's eyes widened in panic as he felt a surge of static, only that only came from the charging of a spell.

"Stop!" He rushed forward and shoved Yusuke to the side, crying out in pain as a magically created arrow flew from the darkness and into his shoulder from the hidden trap. "They booby-trapped it," he said weakly, the smell of acrid burning flesh reaching his nostrils. The arrow-tip was poisoned, but he wasn't worried. Basilisk venom was the strongest in the world, and whilst it ran through his veins he couldn't be felled by poison. It would be a painful experience, but his blood would eventually burn it out of his system.

"Harry, you okay?" Yusuke looked down at him with worried eyes. Harry tried to smile in reassurance, but it came out as more of a grimace.

"It was a poisoned arrow, but I'll be fine. My blood is already working to destroy it and it shouldn't take long. But I suggest that we stay clear of the stairs until I can check it. It's possible that it was a one-time trap, however there could be more even if it was."

"Poisoned!" Kuwabara took several steps back from the staircase, looking at it warily. "How can you be okay if it was poisoned?" Harry allowed Yusuke to help him to the ground to the side of the stairs, out of range of any other traps but close enough that he could work to dispel them.

"My blood contains the venom of the largest and most powerful serpent in the human world," he explained, his eyes beginning to glow as he tapped into the magic of the trap, carefully examining the lines and runes that made it up. "The Basilisk can live for centuries and has the ability to kill with just its eyes - looking into them head on means death, through reflection petrification; rather, you turn to stone. I killed one as a child, but my inexperience caused a fang to embed itself into my arms in its death throes. The venom was stabilized by the tears of a phoenix, and altered by my _Atavism _to create those acid claws you might have seen earlier. It was fortuitous, really. The Basilisk's venom will destroy any poison injected into my bloodstream so long as it is not more powerful, and few poisons are. Much stronger, certainly, than any spell a wizard can create. So, yes, I will be fine."

"Just in quite a bit of pain, it looks like," noted Kurama, taking in the ashy quality of his pallor. Harry chuckled softly.

"Yes, there is that," he admitted. "Burning any poison out of my system is a painful experience. Not something I enjoy doing." He reached out and grabbed what might seem to the others as nothing but air but to him was the commanding thread of magic that held the spell together. There was a visible flash between his fingers to all parties. "The first trap is gone, but I sense others. One seems to be an average stunner, but the third is the death curse."

"Death curse?"

"Yes. A green light that instantly kills any who is touched by it. It has only one known survivor. And unless Kuwabara is secretly an _Atavism_, we shouldn't test it." The teen in question inched away, waving his hands frantically.

"I'm one hundred percent human! There's no demon in me anywhere."

"That's obvious," said Hiei. Yusuke and Kurama laughed at the bulky teen's antics.

"In that case we'll need a mirror," said Harry, quickly dispelling the looming argument between the human and the fire demon. "I can't get close enough to dispel it until after it's fired the first shot and the mirror will deflect it to a safer area. I'll have to work quickly, though, and cannot afford interruptions."

"Where are we gonna find a mirror in this dusty palce?" Kuwabara looked around the room as though a mirror would jump out of a secret hiding place for their convenience.

"I'll have to conjure one." Harry took his hand from his aching shoulder and cupped both of them together as though holding a small ball. His magic gathered between his palms and he slowly forced them apart, breathing deeply. Wandless magic had been a forced learning experience, as he'd had to sacrifice his holly wand to the creation of Amaterasu. It would take a hundred years or more to reach Dumbledore's level of control of it, however, and that was only if he used it every day. It took a lot of energy out of him to use it currently, but his gun was not truly useful for anything but shields and offense. She was primarily a gun, after all.

He forced his concentration to stay on course, his fingeres twitching from the bursts of static. Once his hands had reached two feet apart, he traced a rough shape in the air, forcing the energy to hold and remember it.

"_Speculum_," he gasped, putting one final jolt of power into the spell. A mirror with a handled back appeared before him without any further ado, and he caught it quickly before it could fall and shatter on the ground. He breathed out slowly and passed the mirror to an impressed-looking Yusuke. The look the dark-haired Mazoku gave him forced a jolt up his spine and he stood, feeling a bit more energized than before. "We might as well get on with it," he said to the others, already walking to the stairs to dispel the next trap. "The mirror won't last long. My conjuring has never been very powerful."

The stunning spell was easy to destroy. A simple shield deflected its attacks and the spell fizzled out mid-flight as Harry destroyed the command strand. The killing curse was a bit harder. The mirror cracked on the first hit, but held, and a second spell fired off before Harry could find the commanding strand. The second shot destroyed the mirror, sending a scattering of shards that faded away. Harry snapped the commanding runic strand viciously before it could fire off a third, but he was obviously exhausted, slumping against the wall. He urged Yusuke on when the teen hesitated, and the Mazoku was followed up by Kuwabara and Kurama.

"We'll handle the rest from here," Hiei told him as he passed. Harry smiled weakly in thanks and wearily followed the four up the stairs.


	25. 24: The Price

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **We're winding down now. One more chapter before the epilogue!

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**24: **The Price

-

They recognized the attic room from the message mirror in the Saint Beasts' castle. The only difference was that it was lit by more than one light and the chair was no longer in the middle of the room but placed against the back wall. The chair was occupied, but the owner was within the shadows so they couldn't make out his features.

"Congratulations." The form in the chair shifted slightly as the dark voice from the mirror spoke, breaking the silence of the room. "I see you made it all the way to the top. Not that I expected any less, although I did think one of you would be dead by now. No bother, it shouldn't interfere with my plans too much."

"Shut up." Yusuke stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "Why don't you stop being a coward and face me, you bastard. You see, I just have this really big urge to smash your face into the floor."

The demon chuckled.

"Oh, we'll get to that soon enough, Detective." The air seemed to shimmer along the walls as form after form appeared. Static filled the air as their camouflage spells disintegrated and the demon was suddenly surrounded by two dozen blue-robed men. "First I thought I might introduce you to a few acquaintances of mine. They're so very eager to see your new friend over there. He doesn't seem to be doing too well, does he?" Yusuke growled, grinding his teeth; his knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists tighter.

"Heh." Harry straitened from his partial slouch, spreading his feet lightly to adjust his balance. He smirked, pushing his weariness to the back of his mind. "They should really give up, you know. I must have really pissed them off, outwitting them all the time - not that it was all that hard. Must be desperate now, I guess." The wizards gave silent snarls, wands raised for retaliation of his remark.

"I wouldn't say desperate, per se. Simply a burning desire to see you dead."

"Hey, asshole." Yusuke stepped sideways, blocking Harry from view. "You're forgetting something. You gotta deal with _me_ first."

"Don't forget about me, Urameshi." Kuwabara grinned and raised his sword in front him. Kurama unwound his whip from his arm, letting it fall gently to the floor.

"Yes, I'm afraid we have grown rather fond of him."

"Hn." Hiei unsheathed his katana with a chink. "I guess he's a _little _interesting."

"Aw, guys, I'm touched." Harry opened his eyes, the green of his irises bleeding away into a rich, deep red. "But I can't let you have all the fun. I have run for too long to let my freedom slip from my fingers again." He met Yusuke's eyes and the Mazoku grinned, blue markings once again bleeding across his skin.

"So, bastard. Done talking yet?"

The demon chuckled. "Very well, Detective. As you wish."

Red and green lights lit the room as spells rained from over twenty wands. Demons leaped from the shadows with howls, claws extended to rip and shred. The group leaped and twisted in the air, avoiding spells and demons alike as they attacked their enemies as one.

Yusuke went strait for the leader, aided by Hiei who disappeared and reappeared in blurs, cutting down the wizards and shadow demons one by one. His work was swift and accurate and slowly the path cleared for the Mazoku to hit the demon leader head-on.

Kuwabara and Kurama stuck to the slaying of the rest of the demons, sword and whip cleaving through them like a hot knife through soft butter. Harry deflected attacks of his own, spells bouncing off of a glowing Amaterasu in one hand, while the other was encased in a sickly green from poisoned claws. He worked his way around the edge of the room, fighting through the horde for his true objective, the blue-robed humans who'd done their damndest to make his life hell.

Blood washed the walls and floor, a sickly mixture of green and red. Somewhere in the fray an enormous purple vine erupted followed by the largest flower he'd ever seen. Kurama was having fun obviously, though by the sound of it the demons weren't too appreciative.

The boss demon finally joined the battle himself as a well aimed punch shattered the chair he once occupied, face revealed in the light. He looked almost human save for the multi-faceted bug-like eyes, dark purple skin and the grin of shark-like teeth. The two demons clashed, throwing and dodging punches in an intricate battle dance of which their could only be one victor, and both were determined to be it.

Harry was forced to turn his attentions away as a well-aimed cutting curse dug into his side, a second and third following, shredding his shirt and jacket as they glanced across his shoulders. He dodged a forth aimed at his abdomen and ducked to avoid a sickly green curse of death. He fired off several rounds of bullets infused with his demonic energy, and a secret, deeply buried part of him relished in their screams of anguish.

The rush was extraordinary.

It was the first time he'd ever let his demon have full reign, but he couldn't imagine anything less natural than this. He supposed it was part fear that had held him back - the part of him that mourned his humanity and the loss of what was and what could have been. The same part of him that secretly hoped the people he'd once loved would change their minds and welcome him back with open arms.

This was better than that. The sweet, seductive song of true battle, the bursting rush of blood and adrenaline - this is what he'd truly been missing while he dreamt yearnfully of the past. He'd been reaching all this time for a mere reflection of what he'd never truly had in the first place.

_This _was what he'd been searching for, what he was _meant_ for: the absolute freedom of being exactly who he was, doing what he was born to do. To fight at the side of the Mazoku; that was his purpose. Not the life of a martyr, or a savior, but the life of a demon, the life he'd had to die twice for to earn.

He finally understood what his ancestor had been telling him all those years ago as he'd laid in agony while his blood fought within his veins to change him into his birthright.

_"You must give up your former life and find your true place in this world. You will run; you will fight; you will bleed, and cry, and curse the day you were born. But you will never know freedom, kid, until you understand its price."_

Yes, he understood it now. For what else could the price of freedom be but the debt that all men pay.

And he'd make sure those self-righteous wand-wielding bastards paid it in full.


	26. 25: Case Closed

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **Normally I'd wait at least a full 24 hours before posting again, but I like you guys. Sorry that it's somewhat anti-climatic, but I can't write fight scenes to save my life.

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**25: **Case Closed

-

The dust seemed to settle.

The rush of demons from the shadows had finally slowed to stop. Kurama and Kuwabara stood back to back, tense and ready for battle should there be a last sneak attack, but none seemed forthcoming. Hiei likewise stood ready, sword poised and smeared with blood. All but three wizard lay prone on the floor, and they surrounded Harry in a semi-circle. Harry himself was barely keeping it together, only the last dregs of his energy kept him standing and they eyed each other, each waiting for the other to make their move.

Yusuke and the boss demon were locked in a standstill. Neither looked worse for the wear, but it was a false pretense. The demon was obviously worse off, blood dripping down his arm from a gaping wound in his shoulder with similar wounds on his chest and stomach. He was going to lose - and he knew it.

"You're too late," the demon snarled. "You've always been too late. No matter what happens to me now, my plan will move forward and this world will be razed to the ground. Humans are nothing but food and fodder, worthless wastes of flesh and blood. This was _our_ world first, and it belongs to _us_."

"Shut up." Yusuke rolled his eyes, wiping away a smear of blood on his chin. "Like I haven't heard that about a hundred times. It gets old after a while."

The demon launched his attack with a shriek. "You are unworthy of your demon blood! Raizen was a pathetic fool to pass his powers onto a human like you." Yusuke ducked under the punch, throwing an uppercut into the unguarded chest. Blood sprayed from his opponent's mouth as bone crunched beneath the Mazoku's fist.

"You're only pissing me off even more, jackass. I'm the only one allowed to speak ill of pop's memory, got it?" A second punch landed the demon across the room. Yusuke walked slowly towards his fallen opponent, his finger glowing with red energy. "It's over." The ball of light connected quickly, destroying a good portion of the demon's upper body. Blood leaked steadily across the floor.

In the silence that followed, the four detectives turned to face the last ones standing of their enemies.

"If you want to live," Harry said slowly, a hand clenched against his side to staunch blood-flow, "I suggest you leave." The wizards exchanged looks, and after a moment they lowered their wands.

"We aren't done with you, demon," one of them said calmly.

"Yes, you are." Harry straitened as much as he was able, leveling a narrow-eyed glare at the one who'd spoken. "You tell that old man to leave me the fuck alone. The next time I see any of you I will not hesitate to kill you. I will no longer run. You tell him that if he does not give up his pursuit and go home, he will find himself as the one being hunted."

The wizard met his stare evenly, his lips curling into a slow smirk.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Potter," he drawled. "Albus Dumbledore died five days after your last run in." Harry's eyes widened. "Heart attack, I believe. His little group returned to England to regroup and replan... until most of them mysteriously disappeared." The wizard twirled his wand carelessly, that infuriating look of smugness still in place. "You see, Dumbledore wasn't the only one hunting you. We were looking for you as well. And unlike the _old man_, we're willing to go a bit... farther to get what we want."

"And what is it that you want?" Harry said slowly. The man smirked.

"That's a secret I think I'll keep to myself for now. Like I said, we aren't done with you."

They disappeared with loud cracks.

"Damnit." Harry wavered and slumped against the wall. "One thing after another. Who the fuck did I piss off in a past life?" he groaned. The pain and exhaustion he'd pushed away rushed back to him all at once and his head swam.

"C'mon," Yusuke said gently, throwing the arm on his uninjured side over his shoulder, "let's get you back to the old lady. I told you, you should have stayed behind." Harry chuckled and leaned into his shoulder.

"I'm not too weak that I can't still shoot you, jerk."

"I'm surprised you haven't done it already," said Hiei. He wiped the blood from his katana and sheathed it.

"Nah." Harry grinned in his direction. "He's useful for entertainment."

"Hey!" Yusuke protested as Kurama and Kuwabara laughed. The teen grumbled. "Just for that I'm telling Genkai your melee still needs work." Harry groaned.

"Damnit! You would, wouldn't you? I'd rather de-imp the fucking forest." Yusuke snickered. Harry smiled softly and met his eyes, reading the promise within them loud and clear. "Let's just get out of here already."

"Yeah, I'm with Harry," Kuwabara said with a shudder. "This place gives me the willies."

"A graveyard at noon would give you the willies," Hiei said sarcastically. Kuwabara went red.

"What was that, shrimp?!"

"Gentlemen, really," Kurama sighed. Harry and Yusuke laughed silently, their shoulders shaking in mirth.

If anyone had noticed the interlocked fingers pressed against the slowly bleeding wound on Harry's other side, they didn't say anything about it.

-

It'd been three days since the fight at the mansion. Everyone had healed up nicely and they were enjoying the calm after a closed case. Yukina had set up a picnic lunch in the garden, which is where Botan found them.

"The demon's name was Yasho," she informed them after greetings. "He was wanted by the Demon and Spirit World, but different reasons of course. Apparently he'd tried to lead a revolt against King Enki for the decree he'd made to leave the human world alone, but we was mostly unsuccessful. And of course, there was the breakout at Spirit World prison he'd had part in."

"So what was this plan thing he mentioned?" Yusuke mumbled around a mouthful of bread. Harry thumped his back for his rudeness and he choked. He sent a glare at the ex-wizard, who only gave him an innocent look in return.

"From what Koenma heard from King Enki, Yasho had a small group of upper B-class and lower A-class demons ready to invade Living World upon his signal. Their plan was to cause as much destruction as possible and potentially take over part of Living World for their own use. The border patrols snatched them all up two days ago."

"So we're done then?" asked Kuwabara. "I mean, the case is over, right?"

"Bingo!" Botan chirped. "Case closed. Good job as usual, guys."

"Awright!"

"Oh, Yusuke, before I forget." Botan turned to the Detective with a serious look. "Don't be too surprised if you get a visit from Koenma soon. He's rather curious about Harry, so I expect he'd want to meet your new unofficial team mate. He was also somewhat concerned that wizards were getting involved with demon affairs. For as long as both worlds have existed they've kept very much separate, and this new interest of theirs does not bode good news."

"If the wizards continue to involve themselves, you can be sure I'll handle it," said Harry. "I don't know who this new group is or what they want, but he shouldn't concern himself with the general populace of the wizarding world. The rest of their kind would rather not admit to the existence of parallel worlds full of demons. They live in a rather stagnant culture and anything existing beyond their world is to be denied and ignored."

"I suppose you're right," she said slowly. "Either way, he'll want to meet you, even if only for your temporary role as a Spirit Detective." She materialized her oar and hopped on, floating a few feet into the air. "I'll let you guys get back to your lunch. Once again, good job everyone. I'll see you all later!" She waved, giggling cheerfully, and disappeared into the air.

Several hours after her departure, Kurama and Kuwabara left; Kurama back to his family and Kuwabara back to studying for his entrance exams. Hiei spend a while longer with Yukina before he too left to go back to Demon World and his patrols. That left Harry and Yusuke with Yukina and Genkai, who was allowing the boys one more night of freedom before they were to continue training.

The boys spent time with Puu, who was ecstatic at the attention. They took him for a flight over Genkai's vast territory and ended up settling on the beach around sunset. They laughed at the phoenix's antics in the water, splashing around childlike before leaving the water to dig holes in the sand. The boys laid on their backs, side-by-side, staring up into the sky as the sun slowly set above and Puu settled in his sandy nest a few feet away with a content chirp.

"If someone had told me a year ago that fate would actually do something right by me for once, I think I would have shot them," Harry said musingly.

"So," Yusuke said hesitantly, "you're really happy here?"

"The most I've ever been."

"And you're not gonna leave?"

Harry turned his head to the side, looking into the pair of warm cinnamon eyes for a long, silent moment.

"No," he murmured finally, smiling softly. "I'm not going anywhere." Yusuke rolled over and settled his weight comfortably on top of him, pinning him to the sand. The look in those eyes, so full of promise and desire directed solely at him made his toes curl and his chest warm.

"Good." And then Yusuke was kissing him and he felt that if he could stay in that moment forever he'd take the chance in a human heartbeat and never look back.


	27. Epilogue: Time

**Author:** The Plot Bunny Whisperer**  
Title:** The Price of Freedom  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Genre:** Adventure Romance Drama  
**Summary: **AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.  
**Pairing(s): **Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke  
**Warnings:** Slash, Language, Violence  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

**AN: **See end.

**Epilogue dedicated to:**

**Abby Umbra:** For prodding me into writing a sequel.  
**Etidorpha:** For pointing out all those holes I needed to fill (and the ones I still do).  
**DarkNinjaBunneh:** For turning that rant I wrote a few months ago into one of those Bio chain-post thingies. (Rant can be found on my FFN forum.)  
**Diva-chan:** For getting drunk with me and helping me with ideas when I got stuck.

And to all you wonderful readers! Thanks!

Enjoy!

-

The Price of Freedom  
**Epilogue: **Time

-

Koenma did visit, as Botan warned. He showed up a week or two after the mission with Yasho in his adult form. Harry was understandably nervous; from what he understood, Spirit World was very much against demons with the _Atavism _trait, and the fact that they had tried to kill Yusuke during his transition wasn't a thought that helped make him any less uncomfortable. Yusuke took his hand under the table

"So, you must be the demon wizard Botan told me about," the godling said after he'd taken a few sips of tea. Yukina and Genkai had left the three of them alone to talk.

"Ex-wizard," Harry corrected. "I have long since distanced myself from their world."

"I see. You did good work on that mission; I was very impressed. However, I'm sure Botan mentioned my concern over the involvement of magic users in the whole affair."

"Yes, she did mention that. I honestly don't think you have something to worry about, at least not with the most of that world. As long as wizards aren't reminded of the existance of other worlds, they'll keep to themselves."

"I figured the same thing. Do you suppose the wizards will still be after you?"

"They said they would be." Under the table, Yusuke's fingers tightened around his. "My only concern is that I don't know who they are, or how many. But it's my mess to deal with, so I'll take care of it."

"Very good." The junior death god examined his markings in silence for a moment. "I believe I recognize those markings. The Ashintaro Clan died out several hundred years ago, and they had markings quite like yours. They were known as one of the more peaceful clans of Demon World, which is something that unfortunately contributed to their early demise. You most likely decend from the last of their line, Princess Turkura. Her unique abilities earned her the purple markings you now wear, which none of the other Ashintaro were able to achieve. It was rumored she gave birth to a human child before she died, but it was never proven. I guess you are the proof of that union."

"So I'm a Shintaro?" Koenma nodded.

"Yes, it would seem so. If you'd like, I can have Botan deliver a copy of the few records we have of that clan so you can learn about your history." Harry smiled.

"I would greatly appreciate that. Thank you, Lord Koenma."

"No biggie." Koenma stood, reverting to his infant form as he did so. "Well Yusuke, once again your team did a good job in closing another case. I'll keep in touch. Congratulations, Harry, and welcome to Team Urameshi." He gave them both the peace sign and faded away.

The two teens stared blankly at the empty space Koenma had previously occupied.

"And you were worried!" Yusuke grinned, slapping him hard on the back. Harry narrowed his eyes and tackled him.

-

Loud laughter echoed around the compound.

"_Yusuke_!" Two teens zipped around the corner of the temple, one doing his best to laugh and run at the same time, the other throwing balls of red energy. "You put him up to it, didn't you?!" Yusuke made the mistake of looking over his shoulder at the pissed off half-demon, which caused him to burst out laughing anew. Harry growled at him, covered head to toe in a thick layer of heavy mud.

"Aw, come on Harry, Puu was only playing." Yusuke held his hands up placatingly to ward off another attack.

"It's _not _funny," Harry said through clenched teeth. "That's the third time _this week_."

"What can I say, it's a good look for you." Harry snarled at him and fumed as he did his best to rid himself of the largest clumps of mud, muttering revenge as he did so. Yusuke was too busy rolling on the ground to help him, clutching his stomach helplessly.

"Yusuke?"

The boys turned toward the temple doors to look at the nervous brunette standing on the porch. Yusuke stood as she walked down the stairs, wringing a scarf absently in her hands.

"Uh." Yusuke gave her a surprised look. "Hey, Keiko."

"Hi." She looked at the ground, biting her lip as she seemed to muster up her courage to speak. "I, um. I thought about what you said," she said finally, looking up at him from beneath her bangs. "I thought about it a lot, actually." She sighed. "I really hate to say it, but you were right. All this time I had always thought that we would end up together and get married one day. But after I really thought about it, I guess I must have confused what I felt for you." She looked into the sky for a moment before turning to face him again with a soft smile.

"I do love you, Yusuke. You're like an annoying little brother I always had to look out for, to make sure you were doing okay. I guess it's all right with me that we won't be together the way I thought we would. To be honest, I'm actually a little bit relieved." She giggled.

"Our lives are really different now," she continued softly. "I have the restaraunt with my parents, and you have your job as Spirit Detective. It's really matured you, I think, in a way I was never able to. I'm glad for that."

"Thanks, Keiko." Yusuke enfolded her in an embrace which she happily returned. He let her go and mussed up her hair, and she swatted his hand away with an annoyed huff. "You were always one of my greatest supporters, you know? I'm glad you've still got my back."

"Of course!" She gave him an affronted sniff and put a finger in his face. "Don't take this to mean that you can continue ignoring me, though," she said sternly. " I expect a phone call from you at least once a week to let me know how you're doing. No matter how powerful you are, I still worry for you." Yusuke laughed.

"No problem." She checked her wrist for the time.

"I have to go. My shift starts at the diner in an hour. You guys stop by some time, okay?"

"Sure, if grandma ever gives us a break from her evil boot camp." She gave him a bright smile and laughed. She waved behind her and disappeared down the temple stairway.

Yusuke sighed deeply.

"Well, that went better than I could have hoped."

"I'm glad everything worked out for you," Harry said. Yusuke grinned at him, eyeing his dirty appearance.

"You know, maybe we should give _you_ a bath." Harry smiled innocently, inching forwards with his hands behind his back.

"Maybe later. Right now I think it's time for a little payback."

"Eh?" Yusuke gave him a nervous look and backed away slowly. "What do you mean? Harry... what are you doing with the mud? Harry? Harry!"

Harry laughed and took off. Yusuke blinked at him with a face full of mud before grinning fiercely.

"Okay, now it's on!" He took off after the laughing teen.

Yes, Harry could say he was honestly content with the way things had turned out. It was far from over, of course. The records Koenma sent over were more informative than anyone had thought. The Ashintaro Clan had indeed been wiped out, but not by other demons. The reports were vague, at best, so he and Yusuke were going to go to Demon World as soon as his training was done to figure it out. They had their suspicions though.

Until then, however, he had plenty of time to settle down and enjoy life.

'_And I know exactly who I'm going to spend it with_,' he thought, looking over his shoulder with warm eyes.

Let the wizards come. He'd earned his freedom, and now he was going to enjoy it.

-

_"In the truest sense, freedom must not be bestowed; it must be achieved."  
Franklin D. Roosevelt_

-

****

End

-

**AN:** I'm putting this here because most people skip the one at the top, but this is **important**. I'm answering a question many have asked, so **listen up**!

**YES**, there will be a sequel.  
**NO**, it is not written.

I won't actually be (re-)starting it until after the new year, so I'm sorry but y'all will have to wait. The good news is, is that I will also be working on the _third_ (and last) part of the series at the same time and once they're both written I'll begin posting. That way you guys can have fast updates like with this one. The reason you have to wait is because I know what I'm getting for Christmas (::coughYYHtheboxsetscough::) and I want to do another marathon to get me back in the mood.

Thank you all so very, very much for sticking with me (not that it took long) and being patient about the kissing. Don't worry, there will be more to come and a lot more satisfying than what you got here. Stick around for Part Two of the Freedom Saga: "Freedom's Sacrifice".

Until next time, see ya!

Started: Wednesday, October 22, 2008  
Completed: Wednesday, November 5, 2008


End file.
